Rebirth
by WolfsCub
Summary: Edward abandons Bella. She's attacked and her soul departs her body. A new soul enters her. What will Arwen do within the body of Bella Swan? Bella is very OC. Crossover w/Tracy St. John's Clans of Kalquor Series
1. Chapter 1

Missus Meyer owns it all, but the changes I've made to Bella Swan are mine, I guess.

**Chapter 1 – An old soul**

A brown haired and brown eyed pale teenager wandered through the forest, abandoned by the man, the vampire she loved so much. She had already given up calling his name, as she had, incessantly, for several hours. Edward, was his name. At last, she dropped to her knees, only to curl up into a ball on the floor, hitting her head in the process and then proceeded to weep her heart out.

Poor little thing…

Perhaps I should put her out of her misery.

Yes. Besides, I'm hungry. Her blood calls to me and I really need to feed… Humm.

I am quick to reach her; she is so out of it, already cold. I bite her and I quickly drain her of her lifeblood. Yes, delicious, as I anticipated. After a while, she faintly whimpers, whispering some nonsense about Edward and love. Humans are so pathetic, it's disgusting. Just the sound of that word _literally kills my appetite_! I stop sucking her blood, lick my lips and go on with my… life. Unlife. Whatever. I don't even think about the little thing on the floor. She will die soon enough.

Besides, I have other things to worry about. There's a horrible smell of wet dog in the air. Werewolf? Great. Not very fond of those, but I should exercise a bit after such a delicious meal, hey?

The mutt is already on me, we fight for a bit. It's just one, so it should be easy; I have a lot of tricks I can pull on him.

While we fight I notice a strong strange light, coming from nearby the leftovers of my last meal, from what I can gather, and seconds later there's a wave of energy coming from it. I look at that direction out of reflex. Fatal mistake. The bright light is the last thing I see, the strong pressure of huge teeth the last thing I feel.

* * *

><p>Poor little thing. So young and already gone, thinking herself unloved. If I had my body, I would have healed her, but I cannot. It is fortunate that her soul has departed from her body, so that mine can take her place.<p>

I wish I could have changed things for her, but I am not one, as humans say, to look a gifted horse in the mouth, or is it something else?

The body is so drained of blood, I set to work quickly, reaching out for the powers of the earth, making her body produce blood in an accelerated fashion. In less than an hour or so it will be replenished. I could use some rest and nourishment from the effort.

A man in ragged shorts stands above my new body. I don't even try to access what memories she left behind, as the body is still healing. He stands above me and gasps.

"Damn bloodsucker. Bella, can you hear me? I'm Sam Uley."

"Sam Uley.", I whisper. "It's all right. I'll be fine."

"What are you saying, that thing…", he's incredulous, thinking I'm crazy, no doubt.

"What are you talking about?", he reaches out to me, looking for the place where the vampire bit and finds nothing.

"Impossible…", he whispers. "How? He had to have bitten you…"

"What? Who?", I play the defenseless maiden part, blinking rapidly, making a show of trying to focus my eyes.

"Bella…"

"Who's Bella?", he starts. "I don't remember a thing… Where am I? What happened?"

"You must have bumped your head.", good thing I didn't heal that bump yet, he looks for it and finds it. "I'm going to take you home, to Charlie."

"'Kay.", I mumble and snuggle up to him after he takes me in his arms. He's so warm. He smells of forest and something else I can't place. The wind blows through the trees. He takes us through the forest, first slowly and then in a quick pace, but I gag. Everything's going round and round and it makes me sick.

"What is it Bella?"

"Slow down, please. Too fast, you're making me sick.", I think I'd throw up if I could.

"You _are_ sick.", I look into his eyes and he stares at mine. Something wrong, I wonder?

"I was starting to feel better.", he sighs and slows down. Perfect. I fall asleep in his arms.

* * *

><p>We are finally at the Swan residence. Bella is limp in my arms, asleep like a trusting child, all wet and with the stench of vampire on her, but untouched by one, as far as I can tell. There is a bunch of people around their house; and I open my mouth to speak loudly.<p>

"I've got her!", there is silence, and all those eyes are on us.

Charlie takes her from me and takes her inside. Several people follow them inside and I'm one of them.

They settle Bella on the couch and then they wake her. A pair of violet eyes, something I have no logical explanation for, peer at everybody curiously, like she has never seen them before.

"Bella?", Dr. Gerandy asks.

"Where am I?", her forehead crinkles, "Who are you people?" Everybody just freezes and get a 'what the hell' look on their faces.

"Dr. Gerandy, she is not hurt as far as I can tell. I only found a bump in her head, she must have hit it."

"Amnesia.", he sighs. "Bella, what do you remember?", he leans in to hear her better.

"Nothing much. It was so cold and wet. Then there was a beautiful light, and I can't remember anything else. I felt safe. Mr. Sam Uley found me and I fell asleep. Can I rest now?", she whispers.

"Of course, honey.", the doctor answered. He ushered everyone outside the living room and then took Charlie into a corner. Apparently they were worried she might have been abused in some way, the doctor would need to check. I leave the house and go into the woods, heading towards La Push.

I phase into wolf form and I go back to the place I found Bella. Curious, there is a bit of human blood in the ground, Bella's I believe. There is also a different feeling in the woods, but I can't place it.

I sprint, running as fast as I can. Eventually I get to Billy Black's home. He is sitting on the porch. The rest of the pack is already there; so is Jacob. I greet them.

"What is this I hear about Bella?", Jacob asks. "She disappeared? Why didn't anybody tell me a damn thing?"

"There was no time. She has already been found."

"How is she?", asks Billy.

"Tired. Let her sleep it off Jacob. I don't think she is going to remember you right now." He lifts an eyebrow. "She didn't recognize Charlie, hell, she didn't recognize anybody for the matter. Look, she hit her head, maybe its temporary and she comes back to her senses tomorrow.", I sigh. "I think it might have something to do with the Cullens. They left so suddenly, and that… boy… must have broken it off with her. She probably got upset and lost herself in the woods, tripped and hit her head."

Jacob looks murderous.

"It's always _him._", he leaves the porch and goes inside, probably to his room.

"So, what did you find out?", asks Billy.

"Well, she didn't seem to have been bit by a vampire, but I did kill one very close to where she was. I killed him in a moment's hesitation over a bright light – which Bella claims to have seen – and then I found her. She looked like a corpse, like she had been sucked of a lot of blood. But I checked for bites and she didn't have any, only the bump in the head. I went back to the place on the way here."

"And?", asked Paul.

"There was blood on the ground, her blood. The forest _felt_ different there too."

"What do you mean, different?", asks Jared.

"I can't really explain it. Maybe lighter, more welcoming?"

"At night?", Paul snorts.

"I'm talking insane, I know.", I pause. "When I carried her she seemed to be improving a lot. She was less pale and the leech like stench faded too, since I had her so close to me. And Bella's eyes are different too." Billy's eyes harden and stare at me. "Violet eyes. You reckon it means something?"

"Maybe, that's not a common color, whether you're vampire or human.", he sighs. "She needs to be watched."

* * *

><p>Everybody leaves. A man stays behind, they call him Charlie; I stare at him.<p>

"Charlie?", he's on me in a second.

"Yeah, Bella?"

"Who are you? Why am I here? Who am I?", I ask him, he looks pained at my questions, and swallows hard a couple of times.

"I'm your father, Bella. We live here, this is my house. You came here from Phoenix, where you lived with your mother, Renee. Your name is Isabella Swan."

"I'm sorry, I'm making you sad.", I sigh, I have to do this and pretend to be this girl. I've been given a great gift, I'm not going to ruin this chance to live a new life even if it's in a strange world, away from most of my people. I know one of them live around this area, and I know I will find her. "Do I have a room?"

"Of course you do."

"Could you take me there?"

"You shouldn't try to…", he breaks off. I sit on the couch and get up slowly but steadily, not wavering as I stand, my eyes blinking, narrowed. "Well, I'll help you get upstairs." And he does.

It's a nice sized bedroom, but looks a bit depressing. But, Goddess, that bed looks inviting.

Tomorrow I'll explore everything. Right now I really have to sleep.

* * *

><p>If you don't review, you don't like it, and I'll keep this as a one-shot. Thanks for reading.<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

You reviewed, so you people get a chapter. Don't review, fine, I don't update.

(These chapters just keep getting longer and longer!) And, of course, Missus Meyer owns nearly everything.

**Chapter 2 – Memories.**

Charlie checked on me a couple of times already. I pretend to feel a bit out of it, and still tired. It makes me feel slightly guilty; I can tell Charlie is a good man and he's worried.

"Father?", he jumps a bit. She didn't call him that; too bad, I'll call him father as often as I like, it's kind of nice to have a father. "I think it'll be nice to go back to school in a couple of days."

"Are you sure?"

"I don't like staying here, being idle. I know you're worried because I lost my memory, but couldn't you call the school and tell them?"

"No need, it's a small town, by now everybody knows.", he smirks. "We'll see."

"Okay.", I smile. "But, please don't forget to buy me a pair of sunglasses. I don't know why, but my eyes feel really sensitive to the light. I think that's what's giving me these headaches."

"Yeah. You sure you'll be alright, by yourself? I can go to work tomorrow and stay…", I interrupt him.

"It's okay. I'll just go through my stuff. Maybe it'll spark some memories. Just leave me your number by the phone, in case I need something, will you?", he smiles at my answer.

I'm relieved when he leaves. I can finally sink completely under the covers and sprawl on my back. Breathe in, breathe out; in, out; in, out. I go into myself, into was left of _her_.

I'm walking into the woods, there's a thick fog, pooling around my feet. There's no smell. Trees fallen over each other, some making passages in lost trills, like natural triangular doors, around me, in a circle. I go through one of them, and then another, and another.

There was an obsession with an amber eyed boy, and then rejection. Pain from being abandoned, and then the attack. I delve a bit deeper.

So many people she pushed aside for _him._ This girl was strange, I've dealt with humans before this, but she was just strange. No joy in living, in just being herself, struggling to hide. Hide what? Wanting to become immortal for _his _sake. I try to see more of her memories. She dealt a lot with those vampires, but they were gone. There were others, her friends from school, but nothing of importance. Among them there was a male teenager face, whose name I, too, couldn't pinpoint. The memory of his tanned face is important for me somehow, framed by a waterfall of thick luxurious hair. I can't tell why, though. I sigh, I can see nothing else. He was certainly irrelevant to _her_. Edward and the Cullens were, apparently the brightest sun and stars shining on her life.

It's not always possible to see all of the memories from our new vessel's former life. This is one of the cases.

I remain in relaxation for a bit longer and then curl into a fetal position. I eventually open my eyes and get up. I go into the bathroom and squeal, thank goodness for small things, there's a shower stall and a _tub!_ I start running a bath. Next, I make the bed, open the window to let some fresh air in and then I turn to the closet. I rumble through some clothes and pick a few, plus underwear. I stretch my arms, pointing them to the ceiling. I let myself drop into the bed and strip, lying down, taking deep breaths.

I get up and go into the bathroom, leaving my stuff on the bed. Ooohhh, I moan as my body touches the hot water, that is so nice. I wash my long hair and my body, then soak till the water starts getting a bit cold. I leave the tub and dry my body and my hair. I look at myself in the full length mirror in the bathroom, naked. I'm really pale, and I have long brown hair. My eyes look lifeless, but sparkle when I genuinely smile at myself. In my other humanoid form I had short hair, it suited me. This? It's going to be fun to try new hairdos. I'll cut the hair short later.

I didn't expect to retain my eye coloring, though. The eyes are the mirror to the soul… The sunglasses will help me pull this off though. I always was a bit too expressive and… well. My eyes are still adjusting to the light too. I think I'll be fine as long as I'm inside, but during the day, even inside, they prickle a bit. Something that happens in these cases. I know it will go away, with time. The same happened to Lana.

Dressed, I roam through _her_ things. She was organized. Homework was already done and ready to turn in; one of the deadlines is set for next week, good. I find the essay. Then I go through every school book she has and put them on the side, I'll read them when Charlie brings me my sunglasses. I always was a fast reader, I love to read and write.

Maybe I could become a writer in this world. I keep that in mind for later.

I go downstairs and make some lunch for me and dad. There aren't a lot of ingredients in the kitchen so I can only settle for a pizza. I make some batter for a base; half cook it and then fill it with cheese, ham and mushrooms before I put it in the oven again. In the mean time I make a shopping list, I hope Charlie will find a bit of time to drive me to the grocery store or something. As soon as it's finished, and I'm setting the table, Charlie arrives.

"Humm, smells good."

"I hope you like it." I sweat for a bit. Luckily I already knew a few things about human cooking, I had friends who were crazy about Earth culture and I ended up learning more about it than I wanted. My friends… I wonder if Lana is still living around here? I know she took residence in a town that I think is nearby. I'll try to contact here as soon as I'm settled. I really need a map.

I'm a bit hungry and I attack the pizza with gusto. Charlie looks at me and smiles broadly.

"It's nice to see you have an appetite, Bella."

"Isabella, please."

"Okay…"

"Why do you call me Bella?", I give another bite on the slice I'm holding.

"You always did prefer it.", I chew for a bit and swallow.

"Well, right now I'd rather be called Isabella. It's a beautiful name.", I drink a bit of water and we keep eating in companionable silence. We have fruit for dessert. When we finish, I get up, taking the dishes with me and start on them.

"Father?"

"Hmm?"

"I want to go out. Humm… I mean, could you possibly take me with you? I would love to get to know the place where I live. When you get my glasses, that is.", he goes for his coat and takes the sunglasses out.

"Sorry, almost forgot to give them to you. Here you go."

"These are nice.", they won't look too big on my face and they are very dark. No one will be able to see my eyes through them, much less the color. I put them on. "Thank you, these are wonderful. How do I look?"

"Strange, I'm not used to watch you with something like that.", I laugh.

"I can imagine what the teachers will think about it. Maybe I should speak with each of them in the beginning of each class, I don't want to make them mad."

"You do that."

* * *

><p>On the way back home I managed to convince my father to get some groceries after his rounds. It wasn't too hard considering there was nothing edible left in the kitchen. He was a bit surprised at the amount of stuff I collected but, hey, I didn't go beyond the budget, and it would last us for a while. Of course, fresh stuff would need to be bought every once in a while, but he's okay with that.<p>

When we get home I put some of the groceries in the living room, choose a few and start dinner, nothing too complicated, and store them properly after we're done eating. I watch a bit of TV with my dad and then a movie after we get bored with the news. It was _Phantom of the Opera_, relatively new with some nice songs. I commit them to memory and when the movie's over I get up.

"Dad, I think I'm going upstairs, okay? See you tomorrow."

"Sure.", I know he's still worried. "Good night."

The sunglasses sure work. I don't have headaches ever since lunch time. I turn on a device connected to a screen in my room. I wait a bit and the screen is now filled with a landscape and some little pictures, and I notice a little white arrow in the middle. Okay… there's a board full of keys, which I suppose is used to enter commands and then a little device with buttons. I move it a bit and look at the screen. Ah, it's a pointing device. I grasp it lightly and softly move it around, placing it over one of the little pictures, but nothing happens.

I wish I had been able to see Bella's memories on this. It would make everything much more simple. Well, I sigh, at least I can read and understand her language; it could be worse.

I click on the left button of the pointing device. Ah, the little picture with an "e" is highlighted now. I click again. Nothing, I click again and again in rapid succession.

Something shows up on the screen. "Blackle", in big letters. I look at it curiously. There is a little stick blinking on the screen and a little rectangle under it, saying "search". I squeal. I type "food" and then I click "search".

It takes a bit to get accustomed to the keyboard and the search thing, clicking here and there, trial and error, you know, but I get the hang of it. After that I stay using the device for a bit. It's a wonderful source of information. The supermarket already gave me a few ideas on the vocabulary for food, everything was labeled, apart from what I had already learned from my friends – bless Lana for that, I'd never guess I'd need it.

I hear a knock on the door; it's Charlie.

"I thought you were already sleeping.", he enters the room and looks at screen. "Don't worry so much about lunch for tomorrow.", there was a recipe on it.

"It's okay, I'm just looking for simple things, and I couldn't sleep."

"You remembered how to work with the computer and surfing on the internet. That's good, maybe you'll remember some more soon." He kisses my forehead, and heads toward the door. "'Night, Bells."

I smile ruefully. Stupid pet names…

I go back to the search page and type "internet". Oh, okay, I get it. Goddess, and here I thought Lana was obsessed. There is an infinity of things I don't understand, but… I start searching for maps and try to make sense of the area. Forks, Beaver, La Push, Port Angeles, Neah Bay. Those names do ring a bell, I've been there before, and I know Lana lives there. Lana Brown. Same thing happened to her…

Out of body experiences can be exhilarating when you do it on your own sweet time, or scary and unsettling if you do it out of necessity. I _really_ liked my old body. Too bad _they_ damaged it beyond what I could repair. Like I said, the same thing happened to Lana. Fortunately we can adapt the new bodies to our needs up to a certain point. A lot of our gifts are spiritual, bound to our souls. And the things that aren't can be built.

Lana had visited Earth several times already, and was lucky to find good people; people who didn't turn her in to the authorities. Earthlings tend to believe they are the only humanoid life form in the universe and it better stay that way for a long time. Once I found her, she was already attached to a new body and to this place. She joined her efforts with another human, and is running a little pub with him. He was getting old and had no family, so it was perfect.

I search for the pub's name on the internet and find a phone number. I write it down and head towards dad's room. I listen for a moment and I can hear Charlie snoring loudly. I smile and then go down the stairs, into the kitchen. I take the phone and dial the number. I know it's late, but it's a pub… finally somebody picks it up. I recognize Lana's voice.

"Lana?", she answers yes, and I slip into our people's language. "Long life to you and your loved ones." I hear silence for a full minute. She answers me in the mother tongue.

"And to you as well. May the Goddess be with you, always."

"Lana, it's me. Arwen. I'm like you now.", she gasps.

"Just where are you?"

"In Forks.", I give her my address.

"I'll visit you tomorrow morning.", maybe she shouldn't. How will I explain to Charlie?

"Don't come here, please. I'll explain later. I'll meet you in La Push, First Beach, at ten o'clock."

"See you there.", I put the phone in the holder and head towards the front door. I look out the window, into the woods and gasp. There is a pair of huge eyes looking at me in the distance. I blink and they're gone. How odd.

I head towards my bedroom and try to get some sleep.

* * *

><p>Morning comes and I feel so excited. I have to find a way to get out of this place and go to La Push. As Charlie drove me around, I managed to see what road headed where and most importantly… how to drive. I had learned a few basics with Lana, but I wasn't really interested at the time. If I had just pulled my head out of my ass… I might have learned something. Good thing I'm a quick study.<p>

Harry comes early into the house to check on me and my dad. He's all geared up to go fishing with Billy Black. Humm...

"Hey, dad, why don't you go fishing with Harry? It's your day off."

"Bells…"

"I'm feeling much better. I'll be fine. I'll stay out of trouble, I promise!", I plead with him repeatedly, adding a few more arguments here and there and, at last, he says, after staring at me a bit,

"Fine. Behave."

I try not to look too happy. I'm going to see Lana. As soon as they're out of the house I run upstairs and change my clothes. I write a note to Charlie and then get in my red truck. I have a couple of problems controlling the car but I deal with it. Off I go to see Lana.

Later, I arrive in La Push. I park the car and head towards the beach. It's so quiet now, and it's a sunny day.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3 – Dear old friend**

I try to focus on within, then sending my awareness around me, to find Arwen. It's been so long since I've seen her last. Earth, I'm afraid, is not one of her favorite worlds.

She was so sad to see me settling here, trying to ignore the fact that I would stay, ignoring the Earthling way of life. If her new body is indeed human, maybe she will see the beauty of this simple life as I have. To take this chance to live before going back, once again, to our people. To heal her soul, like I've been trying to heal mine. But before she does, she must feel so lost.

I feel her presence before I see her. She recognizes me and greets me in the tongue of our people. I nod, take off my sunglasses, walk towards her and hug her hard. I've missed this woman so much, this friend who is like my sister. I step back to look at her; we are both on the verge of tears. We hug again and have a good, albeit short, cry. We eventually stop, sniffing a bit and I laugh.

"My, my, look at us two. Crying like two little babies.", she says. "Well, Lana Brown. It's been too long."

"Too true. What on earth have you been doing?", I put my sunglasses on.

She starts to tell me how she left her body and her spirit travelled towards Earth, through space.

"I found this teenager on the forest, being attacked by a vampire. He nearly sucked her dry and left her dying. As soon as her soul detached I entered her, healed the body and… here I am."

"So who are you now?" I sigh.

"Isabella Marie Swan, at your service.", she grins cockily, bowing a bit. I giggle. "Daughter to Charlie Swan, Forks' sheriff. Formerly in love with a vampire, too.", she mumbles dryly.

"What?", I'm impressed, that's interesting. Vampires aren't usually… _lovable_. Especially when regarding food, ahem, humans. We start walking on the beach.

"I can't see much more of her memories. I recall a vampire named Edward and his family, the Cullens. All vampires. Civilized, cultured, humanlike ones, if you can believe that.", she pauses. "It's like only they mattered."

"You can't tell names of her acquaintances?"

"I cannot.", she frowns. "If they were here… they seemed to be good people, despite being vampire… it would have been easier to blend into her life. But she must have been too consumed with her feelings for Edward.", she grins unexpectedly. "It's a good thing everybody thinks I have amnesia."

"You're terrible!", I laugh. "Then, again, it's true, even if not completely. Tell me, how have you been adapting?"

"Not too bad, but I need your help.", she smiles a bit. She describes the wonder of Internet.

"Yes, so you managed to work with the girl's computer. Your computer, then. That's great."

"Still, I know I'm going to need your help. Now I'm starting to understand your obsession with detail as far as human culture was concerned. I've seen more complicated worlds, but…"

"Well… you have known those cultures longer, and you were willing to learn about them.", I tease her.

"Trust me… I'm pretty eager to learn now…", she grumbles. I was going to ask her about her eyes, but we hear someone call her.

"Bella!", it's a teenager and a slightly older guy. They seem to be of Native American origin. Quite attractive, but they don't do a thing for me. I know, I know, you must think I'm a naughty girl, assessing the lads like they're a piece of meat. Not my intention, I can assure you. Another one of them is coming this way too. "Bella Swan!"

For a second, Arwen seems to recognize him at the distance but then covers it up.

"I'm sorry", she says apologetically. "Do I know you?"

And… he looks like she punched him, pretty hard. Poor guy. Wonder if he's one of the faces she's seen in her memories. She greets the older guy, trying to give the poor boy time to recover, I guess.

"Sam Uley, how are you today?", geez Arwen, we have to address this habit of calling people by their first and last name…

"I'm okay. And you Bella?"

"Isabella, please. I'm fine,", she looks at me, "making a new friend, is all. I was getting fed up, looking at the same walls all the time so I thought I'd come to the beach, take my mind off... well… off.", she grins.

They talk a bit more, but I'm no longer listening. My eyes set on the other guy who's heading towards us. Oh… there's something about him, that's right. I can't stand to look at his approaching figure; my heart starts beating wildly in my chest and I take shallow breaths.

"Shit.", I gasp.

"Lana?"

"Not now.", I snap. "I'll see you later.", I start running through the beach and stop only when I reach my car.

There's a red pickup truck parked next to it. I get into my car and take deep, calming breaths. That Sam Uley and the other one… What the hell just happened? It couldn't be… could it?

* * *

><p>I look suspiciously at Sam, Jacob and a not-so-nice-young-man-whose-name-is-Paul. Well, something's definitely wrong with <em>this<em> guy's attitude.

"Maybe it was PMS, for all I know. Don't look at me like that Sam, I didn't do a damn thing!", Paul's starting to get on my nerves and I just met him. Oh, joy!

"Of course. That's why you're getting all pissy and defensive.", I drawl. I feel like punching him. And Sam Uley too. Huh?

"What? Why you little...", Sam Uley gets between us.

"That's enough Paul."

"She started it.", whines Paul.

Sam apologizes and drags Paul away for a bit.

"_She started it_.", I mimic him, using a high pitched voice. "Oh, that's _real_ mature."

Jacob snorts, trying to cover his laughter. Jacob is the only one who doesn't set me off. Those other two are a bit strange, though; can't really put my finger on it.

"I'm sorry I don't remember you, Jacob. Dr. Gerandy told me most cases of amnesia solve themselves. Others… stay like this forever.", she muses.

"I hope that's not your case, Bella. Um... sorry, Isabella.", he stammers a bit. "I don't know what to say."

"Neither do I.", I smile. He looks so cute when he stammers I could hug him to death. Or eat him up with kisses.

Wait.

What?

It couldn't be… could it?

* * *

><p>I've never seen Bella smile like that before. I'd love to see that smile reach her eyes, but I can't. Those glasses are becoming a bit annoying.<p>

"Listen, your eyes.", she tenses up a bit. Sam is on us, again. Paul's gone, thank goodness.

"What about them?"

"For what I remember, your eyes are different now, Isabella.", Sam points out.

"They are sensitive to the light, right now. I only take this off at night, before I go to sleep. Otherwise I have headaches.", she takes them off briefly, opening her eyes as wide as possible. "See? What were you expecting? Red eyes like a vampire or something?" Sam's lips stretch to a thin line. "I couldn't, they're night creatures, right? And it's pretty sunny right now.", she laughs.

"Come on, Sam Uley, don't look so serious… I was kidding. What can I do to thank you for your help?"

"Come and meet Jake's father and a friend of mine, Billy Black. We'd like to reacquaint ourselves with you.", he answers.

"Alright.", she turns to me, after Sam leaves. "Jake? Who's that?"

"Me." God, she really lost her memory. "Listen, I… I was worried about you, but Sam told us you didn't remember a thing, so I thought I should give you some time to recover." She holds up her right hand.

"It's okay. I understand. How about I drive you home?"

"I'd like that. And… there's going to be a party here tomorrow. Quileutes, mostly." Maybe we can start over, I hope.

"I don't know. I'd love it but…" She chews on her lower lip. "Just let me think about it for a bit. Shall we?"

I follow her to her truck. There's another one next to it, Lana gets out of it.

"What happened? Paul scared you?" Bella teases Lana, who scowls.

"That's his name? No… I was just indisposed, that's all." I have an idea.

"Isabella, why don't you two go to the party together? It's tomorrow Lana, here, at First Beach."

"Will Paul be there?", asks Lana.

"Yeah, probably."

"He has quite the charming temper." Bella says in a saccharine sickeningly sweet voice. "You'll hate him." I laugh. Another Paul fan. Not.

Lana lifts her eyebrow.

"You sure?"

"Positive."

"I wouldn't be so certain, if I were you. The Universe works in strange ways. 'sides...", she sniffs. "It wouldn't do to leave such a young lady all by herself. Even if I must suffer, it is for a good cause, my long lost friend!"

"I thought you two just met.", I smile at Lana.

"It's like we've met before."

They have this knowing look on their faces, an understanding and I'm not sure I like it. Bella and I get in the car and she drives me home, humming a few tunes all the way. Her voice is really nice, but that behavior is very un-Bella-like.

"What's up with the singing?", I ask.

"Oh, just a couple of songs I heard the other night on TV. Phantom of the Opera.", she hums a bit more. I give her a few more directions and we're finally at my place. We get out of the truck, my dad is waiting for us and I introduce them.

"Wanna come in, Isabella?", I ask her.

"Oh, I'd love to, but you see…", she trails off.

"Bells, what did you do? Is something wrong?", she joins her hands, intertwining her fingers and circles her thumbs around her each other, her eyebrows shooting around her dark sunglasses.

"Well, I was a bit naughty... Now that I think about it, I recall I_ just might_ have tricked my father into going fishing with Mr. Clearwater and Mr. Black…"

"You can call me Billy, Bella.", he smirks.

"Isabella, please.", she adds, distracted. "And if Billy is already here, Charlie's home already and… I really should go." She grins sheepishly. "See you tomorrow night."

* * *

><p>Bella Swan is not who I thought she was. From what I heard she was a quiet, boring little slip of a girl. This girl is like a little piece of sunshine, without being childishly immature, making my Jacob smile. The boy is clearly besotted with her, I only hope she doesn't reciprocate those feelings. It's only a matter of time till his heritage catches up with him, and if she ends up being some sort of vampire…<p>

Then again, she doesn't smell like one, and her eyes aren't topaz or red. She doesn't glow with the sunshine, either. Sam has already told me that, having retreated to the forest just before they arrived. And Charlie was elated – as elated as he can be, being Charlie, that is – that Bella seemed to have a very healthy appetite.

Bella eventually leaves, Jacob is happy that she will be attending tomorrow's gathering in First Beach, with a Lana Brown, a very recent friend of Bella's. Bella Swan, quick to make friends. From what I heard of her, that is not usual.

I really must keep an eye on her. Can one really change that much with amnesia?

* * *

><p>If you want another chapter, please review.<p> 


	4. Chapter 4

Dear anonymous, thank you for your wonderful review. I don't very much like Edward either. Of course he's going to come back. Eventually.

**Chapter 4 – First day in school**

_And we went to the party down on reservation the next day. Not. (Sigh)_

_Nope. I called Lana, telling her my dad grounded me, and she said she wouldn't go without me. The worst thing about this grounded thing is I can't even go outside for a bit. I've already read all the school books – told you I was an avid reader – and I could just climb the walls. Did I ever mention I hate their color? I do. That sickly green just has to go._

_I also called Jacob saying I couldn't go and Lana wouldn't go either. _Next time_, I promised._

_I've also been thinking. Sooner or later, Isabella Swan will leave high school and, while I'm sure father won't mind me staying and helping with expenses, I would like to save some money, move out, do something useful with my time, besides having a 'normal' job. So, in my boredom, I decided to write a couple of chapters for a book. I looked it up in the internet, and human women seem to enjoy romances and erotic romances immensely, and I read a couple already. So I'm going to write one of those. Time travel in Scotland, I decided. And so, with my ever faithful Internet I started researching things about said concept and history. As soon as I am no longer grounded I'll go to the local library and get some books, I already checked the catalogue online._

_I already have a chapter guide ready. If I can't publish it the "normal" way, I'll consider one of those print-on-demand websites. Or just sell them in digital format. Ah, ideas, ideas._

* * *

><p><em>The day comes when I have to go to school. I already know where it is and I get there early, with time to spare. Guess who shows up? Jacob.<em>

_Apparently there's a school on the Quileute reservation and he attends it. He's sorry that I'm starting all over again, not knowing anybody here. I shrug and say that I'll live. I've done it before, haven't I?_

_He's also sorry I was grounded. He thinks it's his fault and I tell him not to apologize. I placed myself in that position in the first place, not him._

_Jacob is a nice guy. We talk a bit more, he makes me laugh. We're interrupted by some other teenagers whose face I saw. I learn their names, Mike, Eric, Angela, Jessica. I don't know why but I don't like Mike. Jessica is… a normal teenager girl. Eric and Angela are a couple. All of them are so young. Was I ever this young? This carefree? My other life and its pain seem like a distant memory._

_I try to answer their questions, going on autopilot. Jacob stays behind, I wave him goodbye, I'll see him later. We go to class. Gossip travels fast, everybody heard what happened and that I have amnesia. I have to repeat the story again and again – humans are so curious. And nosy, eh, eh, eh. Some teachers hate that I have to use the sunglasses but they deal with it. The ones with a bit more trouble with it pester me with questions and I answer correctly and sufficiently to all of them. No point in showing I know too much; they might think I'm being pretentious, or whatever. No point in aggravating them, indeed._

_At lunchtime I'm bombarded with more and more questions, from people I don't even remember seeing in the memories._

_More classes: more questions. Time goes by and before I know it, I'm heading home. We have quite the amount of homework to do, but it's nothing I can't handle._

_I get to the truck and drive to the library. I pick some books on Scotland history and clans and I go home. Father's not home yet. I start making dinner, and leave it half made so I don't have to worry later. I go upstairs and start doing my homework. It's not too hard and I already know all the material so it doesn't take me that long. I put all the items I need for tomorrow in my bag and then I lay down on the bed. _

_I don't want to move. _

_The stupid phone rings._

_I feel tempted not to answer. It doesn't shut up._

_I get up, grumbling to myself, go into the kitchen and pick up. Lana. Yes, I know I should train. Good, I'm glad you found a place to practice. Yes, I'll dress in black from head to toe and sneak away tonight. Yes, running sounds great, I'm sure I'm out of shape. No, I didn't see Paul again. And yes, siree, tonight you will explain to me just _why_ you are so interested in Paul. No, you're interested, and yes, you can deny it all you want and threaten to throw energy balls at me all you want, I still think you're interested. Hardy, har, har. Very funny. Bye._

_I start for the couch and take a few steps toward it but the stupid phone rings again. Crap. I pick it up, some woman recognizes my voice and says she saw me being bitten by a vampire, still up and moving, and my eyes looked different, and was I turned? I realize, now with some shock, that this must be Alice Cullen._

* * *

><p>"Bella? Are you there? Bella?" Great.<p>

"How is Edward?" for some reason, the moment it leaves my lips, that name makes my skin crawl. I grimace.

"Well, he left." Left? "We don't know where. He shows up once in a while." I'm silent for a bit, wonder where he went. "Bella, I'm so sorry. I know it looks unfair to you. I miss you."

"Thank you, Alice. That's very kind of you."

"You sound different." I laugh.

"I _am_ different." You have no idea. "No, I wasn't turned."

"You would have liked we were, wouldn't you?"

"I don't think we should have this conversation on the phone."

"You're right. I just… wanted to make sure you were okay. Don't do anything stupid, like jumping off a cliff. Be safe." I snort; just _why_ would I, spontaneously, jump off a cliff? She's nuts!

"I appreciate your worry, but if you're so worried then perhaps you should visit one of these days. I'll be happy to see you. Edward or no Edward."

"Oh, really?" she sounds hopeful about it. "No hard feelings then?" If only you knew…

"None whatsoever. See you around. Bye." I disconnect the call. Hey, it's the truth. Fine by me, I'm curious. Besides, it's not like she's actually going to visit. I'm sure they'll simply think poor Bella's heart wouldn't be able to take it.

* * *

><p>Lana and I run through the woods. It's dark but I can see rather clearly. No fancy tricks for tonight, just running around like crazy, pulling some stunts, testing how I've adapted to this body and how much can it take, now that I've been making a few changes to it. I can't wait to stretch it to its full potential, thanks to my soul and gifts.<p>

In the meantime, we have a run in with a vampire and Lana dispatches it, since she has more experience with them. Apparently the woods already have protectors taking care of those matters. We're surprised by them in the process of destroying the vampire, and now we're being hunted. The wind blows through the trees, they whisper softly to us. _Wolves. Wolves._

Not the usual type of wolf, apparently. They are big and mighty fast. Well, so are we; running like maniacs till we reach the cliffs. Lana is slower to reach me, as she was disguising our scent from the wolves, but as she stands on the cliff, we both tense, getting ready to jump. Then, it happens.

"Bella, don't do this." I look towards the soft, pleasant-sounding voice and gape like a fish. It looks like a ghost, but more solid, in color. If I'm not mistaken, it's Edward Cullen. "This is dangerous." He frowns at me; I'm over the shock and glare at him.

"You think?", I retort; and jump at the same time as Lana. Cold water envelops us. I can feel the wolves high above us, so we let ourselves sink a bit more. Stupid Cullen is there too. I ignore him and start swimming towards the shore, underwater; the ghost-like figure following me as I surface. The wolves are gone.

* * *

><p>The whole week passes in a breeze. I go visit Jacob a couple of times. I enjoy being with him, I miss him when we're not together. I know why we feel right, but I try not to think about it. I'm glad for my sunglasses, this way he doesn't see me looking at him all the time, like a love-seeking puppy. Lana asks about Paul but never seems to find the courage to come and see him. I know she's fighting the pull; a bit pointless, I think.<p>

I can understand her hesitation; we're not entirely human. How am I going to explain this to Jacob? I sigh, I'll cross that bridge when I get to it.

I'm not grounded anymore, thank goodness. I can't wait to visit Lana. I invited my friends from school but only Jessica came along with me, we're already in Neah Bay and I pull the truck over. We have to cross the street, Jessica babbles away and I nod and make committing sounds here and there. Someone calls us, a bunch of bikers yelling they have beer and whatever, inviting us for a little ride. I stop and stare at them, in the distance. And guess who shows up, again.

Edward Cullen, looking like death happened. Oh, my, oh pie.

"Keep walking.", he says in that calm, melodic voice.

"No.", I whisper, smirking at him. "Screw you. You don't own me, last time I checked."

"You promised me.", he scowls.

"Bella…", Jessica suddenly stops babbling. "Did you say something? What's wrong?"

"Sorry, Jessica, I just have the feeling I know those guys. Do you think they were acquaintances of mine?", I muse.

"I don't think so, and I don't like this, Bella. Did you hit your head again?", I laugh at her.

"Sorry, Jess. Let's go, shall we? It's just across the street." I discreetly smirk at Cullen, who's looking at me strangely, all the way to the pub. "Here it is."

"Bella, don't."

This time it's no wonder he keeps pestering me. I'm sure it looks like the most ill-omened pub in this world. Jessica hesitates and I tell her everything's fine. We enter and Cullen's form appears on the inside. Jessica wows at the place.

John, the other owner to "Old man's pub", sees us. The inside of the pub is inviting, something no one could tell from the looks outside. I know Lana has been pestering John, who is said "Old man", to change that, but he doesn't want to. Business is slow now, it gets much better at mealtimes and after dinner, though. Popular place to be at, nice cocktails and they also serve simple but good tasting meals.

Lana suddenly shows up and gives me a hug. I introduce Jessica and John takes her to the booth closer to the vertical piano and starts talking to her. I'm glad he does. Jessica lost her grandfather a few weeks ago and seems to take to him. It's all part of John's charm, I guess, and I smile fondly at them. I have the feeling Jessica is going to find a surrogate grandfather in John if she's willing to.

Lana takes me behind the counter – I lean onto it – and gets busy, fixing us drinks. Cullen's left; she whispers furiously.

"You look strange. What's wrong? We didn't have time to talk since the other night." I take a few plates and place a slice of cheesecake on one, then go for the heavenly looking brownies.

"It's Edward Cullen." I tell her of his appearance today.

"Promise? What did Bella promise him?"

"Probably to stay out of trouble." Lana smirks.

"Between being bitten from a vampire, running in the woods at night and jumping off a cliff… you don't seem to be doing a very good job at that."

"What can I say? I try.", I reply seriously. Lana sees through my act and giggles.

* * *

><p>I'm thrilled with my over 80 visitors to this story, but reviews would be nice. They would ensure an <strong>update<strong>.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5 – The mind link**

From what I understand, Jacob Black is very fond of rebuilding cars. I suppose he can do the same to bikes.

I go into the pub's backyard and cross it to enter the garage, turning the lights on. Two old bikes are standing there. I smirk and leave, heading towards the pub again. John's closing up for the night as the last customer leaves.

"John, hey. Calling it a night?"

"Sure thing, princess."

"Don't call me that.", I reply. "Listen, I'll close up and head upstairs."

"How is Arwen?"

"Didn't talk to her since the second time she came here, by herself."

"It's been weeks, Lana. Is everything alright?"

"Yes. We just thought we'd keep it low profile, with La Push protectors and vampires coming near us every now and then." I take a deep breath. "I'm going to try and make a link to her."

"Oh, that thinking talking across space you do?"

"Yeah.", I grin.

.-.-.-.

I live right upstairs in an apartment, above the pub. I just finished my tea. I sigh, already in my pajamas and stare at the ceiling. I felt a pull towards that… man, Paul. I don't even want to think about him.

I have to focus on Arwen. I mean, Isabella. She's adapted well, from what I believe, since we had a long conversation the other time, me answering every question she had, and she didn't call me ever since. We had decided to let a month go by, and it's tonight. I will try to establish a mental link in… a few minutes. It's almost time, she must be in bed already. I'm a bit excited.

I go into my bedroom and lay down on the center of the bed, under the covers. I take several deep breaths, calming down my heart and relaxing. I focus on the image of Arwen, keeping my eyes closed.

'_Lana?'_

'_Arwen?'_

'_I did it! It works!'_

'_Of course it works, woman.', I smirk. 'How do you feel?'_

'_Normal, on our standards, that is. As it should be.'_

'_Listen, you told me Jacob is restoring a car, right?'_

'_The Rabbit, yes.'_

'_Since you are obviously beating around the bush now and running out of excuses to go and see Jacob – you are, I __**know you Arwen**__ – I came up with a wonderful idea… There's this couple of old bikes in the pub's garage...', she catches up quickly._

'_And of course, you'd pay Jake to repair those, and since you are such a busy woman, and I have more time to spare…'_

'_Exactly.'_

'_Lana, you are the best of friends. I definitely, completely, absolutely, adore you!'_

'_I know, I know... Make sure you help Jake test those bikes. I'm sure he'd love to teach you how to ride one.', I whisper wickedly through the mind link. 'And of course, don't forget to have an accident while you're at it. I'm sure he'd love to patch you up and comfort you…'_

'_Huummm… you're horrible.', I can sense Arwen's amusement._

'_Maybe Eddietard will show up while you're at it.'_

'_Let's hope not. It would kill the moment.'_

'_The mood, Arwen. It would kill the mood. For you at least.'_

'_For both. It takes two to make the mood.'_

'_To get into the mood, Arwen. To get into the mo…'_

'_I get it, I get it.', she sighs. 'What about Paul?'_

'_What about him?'_

'_You know what I mean.'_

'_You know I don't.', she laughs humorlessly at me._

'_Lana! This isn't healthy for you. You feel the pull, why do you fight it?'_

'_I'm more concerned about you, thank you very much. Until you're properly settled in your new body I'm not going to even think about him. Besides… you told me there's something different about him.' _

_I groan, I'm more than settled, damn it! My eyes are almost adjusted and all._

'_Well, maybe it's the fact he has quite a temper. I know it sets me off, but you always were good at handling people like that.'_

'_Or maybe he really is different. Look, I promise that, as soon as those bikes are fixed, I'll go visit them at a time I know he'll be around, or go to one of those parties in La Push. You'll help me with that, right?'_

'_Of course.'_

'_Good.' I pause. 'I'll bring you the motorcycles in a few days, or you can come and visit me.'_

'_I'll visit. I'll call you later so dad doesn't get suspicious.'_

I open my eyes and stare at the ceiling for a bit. I'm starting to feel a bit emotional but I fight it, covering it in a blanket of numbness. I try to sleep.

.-.-.-.-.

Short, I know, but I hope you enjoyed it. And a Review would be nice. :-p


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6 – I'm going slightly mad.**

_It will be as if I'd never existed._

And, true to _his_ word, there was no physical evidence, among Bella Swan's belongings, that Edward Cullen ever came to be in her life. Except…

Arwen d'Erley roamed through a photograph album, with several pictures missing.

Except for the _obvious_ spaces among the photos, the few remaining of a mostly-indifferent-looking or very-rarely-smiling Bella Swan.

Sighing, the now human Soul Wander closed the album and stashed it away, got up and went down the stairs. It was time to go visit Jacob. Taking a cake carrier with a yummy looking strawberry cheesecake in it, Arwen d'Erley left the house and hopped into her ancient red truck.

_It will be as if I'd never existed._

Certified fool, that's what you are, Edward Cullen.

I drive the car towards Jacob's house, and I eventually arrive, and park the car. I grab the cake carrier, close the door and head towards' the house. The door opens as I approach it, Jacob ducks slightly to get out of the house. He seems to be getting bigger every time I see him. His handsome smile fills me with joy, his soul calling to mine. I smother down the urge to kiss him.

No, no, no, no, no!

Don't go there, girl. My resolve probably showed in my face.

"What's wrong, Bella? Something on your mind?", asks Jacob.

_It will be as if I'd never existed._

Why now, Cullen Mullen?

"Just remembering something." That was _so_ the wrong thing to say.

"Really!" Oh, no, he seems eager to know… "Did you remember something from… before?"

"Maybe."

"Wow, Isa, that's great!"

Oh, no, he sounds positively excited… here it comes. I'm going to be stupid and do something even stupider.

"I just remembered a name, and a face." I pause. I'm sorry, Jacob. "Edward Cullen."

He sags, then mutters something like 'it's always him', looking angry, shaking a bit. Hmm, interesting, jealous much, I wonder?

"Nevermind, he was probably not important, I checked a photo album of mine and there was no-one who looked like him. He was most likely an acquaintance. In fact, since I don't have any photos of you, I was wondering…" I reach for my jacket's inner pocket and take a slim camera out. Jacob suddenly smiles at me. "… if you'd like to pose for me a bit?"

The smile turns into an all-knowing-smirk. Damn, stop blushing, Arwen d'Erley.

"Sure."

We go into the kitchen and devour a good piece of cheesecake, and then we go to the garage. The afternoon passes away, and I hardly notice it. I just sit on the Rabbit's seat, and listen to my Jacob's voice, let it wash away my worries.

'_Since when is he _your_ anything?'_ Lana's voice invades my mind, via mind link. I groan at the annoying little voice in my head. '_I don't really know._', I reply.

'_Why do you worry then?_'

'_Something's different about him. He used to complain he was a beanpole. Now, he's just getting… really… you know._'

'_Hunkalicious?_' I grunt.

'_That, and I feel a spirit. The spirit of the wolf, within him, getting stronger._'

'_Everything is as it should be. The local legends aren't just legends._'

'_What do you mean?_'

'_Ask the trees._'

"Enlightening much?", I mumble.

"Isa."

"Oh, Jacob." I adjust my faithful sunglasses.

"You okay? You were making some strange faces." Not to mention you weren't listening for a while. Great going Arwen.

"Sorry, I was distracted." He lifts an eyebrow. "Just… talking to myself. Could I… go outside, smell the trees?" D'oh!

"Isa, are you sure you're alright?" Wrong thing to say… make something up, make something up!

"Yeah, yeah, just something Lana told me I should do. You know… since Sam Uley found me in the forest, maybe it would help me trigger some memories."

"It's already dark, Isabella. You won't be able to see a thing. Besides, it's dinnertime already. Are you sure you're…"

"I was found in the dark. Please, Jacob."

He sighs and gives me his hand; I take it and he leads me into the trees near the house, the path familiar to him. I release his hand and approach the tree. I touch it and stay silent, my head bowed.

Soul Wanders have affinity with all the elements, although some more than others. Depends. Lana is very much in touch with the Earth Element, which includes trees. I'm more attuned to Air and Fire, so the others are not quite my expertise, but I still manage.

I vaguely hear Jacob calling my name in a worried tone, but a part of me is already joining the trees conscience, images flashing through my mind's eye, of young men morphing to wolves.

Sam Uley being of them, in charge. Leading them.

Curiously, young Embry Call has gone through the change, and is already one of them. My mind goes back to that one conversation with Jacob, on the La Push gang, on how Sam Uley treated him different, on how he was waiting for something… for a change, for Jacob's choice to join the gang?

No, he's waiting for Jacob to become a werewolf.

'_About time._'

'_Lana.' _I pause_. 'Is it true? Will Jacob…?_'

'_Yes, I'm afraid so. There is no stopping it_.'

More images come to my mind, the good trees hide nothing. The first change, for Sam Uley, was not a pretty sight.

For some strange reason, the fact that Jacob might suffer from the change and irrevocable turn his life will take rattles me more than the fact he will be a werewolf.

As the great Freddie Mercury once sang, I'm going slightly mad.

.-.-.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7 - Spaghetti dinner**

I vaguely hear someone calling me, insistently. Jacob, he looks worried. Poor guy, I really wish he had it easier...

"Sorry, Jacob. I... lost myself for a bit." In more ways than one.

"Yeah... you looked it. I was calling you for about five minutes but you wouldn't budge." I raise my eyebrow. "Okay, maybe not THAT long, but a bit too long for my tastes."

I try to take a step and nearly land on my tush.

_'Tush? Aren't we a daisy!'_

"Shut up Lana, I really don't want to hear it...", I really shouldn't have said that aloud, Jacob's looking at me like I'm crazy. "Sorry, just talking to..."

"To Lana, I get it..." Thank the Goddess we're nearly by the door. Other people are already arriving, and I giggle, too late, at Lana's little joke. Jacob holds my hand in his own; big, warm, enveloping mine. Despite his guidance in the dark I nearly trip and he catches me, taking me in his arms, facing me at the bottom of the stairs, near the porch.

"Bella, are you sure you're alright?", his dark eyes search my face, like a lost puppy, the light coming from the house illuminating us softly. I raise my right hand, trembling, to caress his handsome, suddenly vulnerable face, not touching it by mere inches, for the door abruptly opens to reveal Charlie and Billy in his faithful wheelchair. I curse my luck; my hand flees at the sudden interruption, finding refuge in my jacket. Charlie stares at me, surprise etched in his face and I manage a weak glare, already recuperated from the joining with the trees, to which Charlie answers with taunting...

"I hope we didn't interrupt." Damn, but I could wipe that little smile off his face… Billy isn't fazed in the least and starts gloating in his always calm manner about some famous spaghetti recipe we are to try tonight, my mind only registering half of it, more conscious of Jacob's body next to mine. We get in and I greet the Clearwaters.

'_Seth will join the wolves eventually._', Lana whispers in my head.

I sigh, trying not to think too much about it. I grab a plate and sit on a chair, trying to mingle, and later on I admit dinner was nice and the company god, everybody talking and joking, often at the same time, my treacherous eyes drifting towards him.

I feel watched, suddenly I turn towards the origin, and I see red eyes in a safe distance, their malevolence palpable, directed to me, making me physically ill. I get up and lightly swoon. Charlie and Jacob are onto me, I simply say I'm tired. The Clearwaters are getting ready to leave and we thank Billy for his dinner.

"See you tomorrow, Bells?", Jacob asks; stupid nicknames, I grumble.

'_Not so fast young lady. We have to catch up AND you owe me a movie night._' I groan, I had forgotten.

"Sorry Jacob. I ought to meet up with Lana tomorrow, it's Friday." He casually says it's okay, but I can see he's a bit disappointed. Lana whispers to me to bring him along. "But if you want to, we can go together. We were planning on watching a movie; no chick flicks, no worries!"

He smiles, that big special smile he has; the one that lightens up his whole face and makes his eyes twinkle. I keep that smile in my mind for the remainder of my trip home. Father doesn't give me a hard time about it.

'_That's to be expected, no? Better to see you besotted_…' I'm not! '_… with a decent, honest fellow such as Jacob Black than weird Edward Cullen, who left you behind like garbage, in the the forest, at night, never to be seen again.' _

I shrug, bid goodnight to Charlie and head towards my room. I done my pajamas and brush my teeth. Hopping on my bed, as soon as my head hits the pillow, I am asleep.


	8. Chapter 8

Credit for "Heebie Jeebies" song goes to the Boswell Sisters. I know its old, but listen to it on YouTube. It's fun and worth your time. Really.

Credit goes to S. Meyer for the line "What a marshmallow." and everything else that's not mine.

And petra ppsilvia: thanks for the review!

**Chapter 8 – The wolves**

How on Earth Mike managed to come with us I will never know. Jessica bailed, Angela's sick and Eric's taking care of her. Mike just had to try and get lucky with me. At least I have Lana and Jacob! I can't condemn Mike for being, well, Mike. He's just a teenager who acts like one.

'_And doesn't like Jacob in the least_', snickers Lana, in my mind.

'_Really? I didn't notice…_' Jacob chatters amicably with Lana about his reservation school, who tries to include Mike in the conversation, but he simply scowls. I sigh and hand everybody their tickets.

In the theatre, Lana sits next to Jacob, I'm stuck between the two human teenagers; if you can consider a soon-to-be werewolf as human. Whatever. I vaguely think that Jacob was right; the movie sucks bad. Lana mutters, "Any minute now…"

And so, in the middle of the crappiest gore scene I have ever seen, Mike says the famous last words before he runs into the bathroom, and all of us roll our eyes.

"I'm gonna throw up." We release a collective sigh and follow his stead.

"What a marshmallow." We snicker at Jacobs words.

"It sounds like he's coming down with the stomach flu, Isa. He'll go home soon. Since we have time, how about we drop by the pub, and show Jacob around?"

"I wouldn't mind. It's just as well I brought the Rabbit. You can have your sleepover and I'll just head to La Push."

Mike finally comes out of the loo and apologizes to us.

"For what?", says Lana. "You can't help being sick. It was thoughtful of you, though; you tried to at least enjoy part of the movie with us. I'm glad for the interruption, the movie sucked bad.", she smirks.

Mike leaves and we quietly stroll to the Rabbit and Lana's truck. Soon we arrive at the Old Man's pub, Jacob doesn't seem worried about the outside part of the pub and smiles at the cozy look on the inside. There are some customers and they greet Lana, who waves at them. She takes my cake carrier with her to the bar area; I baked a special chocolate cake. John, the owner, comes to greet us.

"Jacob, this is my partner, John. John, meet Jacob Black, from La Push. He's a …"

"Quileute, from Billy Black's lot, right, son?" Jacob smiles. "Ah, thought so. I know Billy, haven't seen him in ages. I should visit him sometime. Tell him I say 'hi', for me, will you?"

John turns into a little chatterbox and reveals he likes cars, classics; Jacob and he keep talking for a good bit, forgetting all about us girls. Lana beats me and gets to the grand piano first. We settle for a quick fun song by the _Boswell sisters_ called _Heebie Jeebies_. I start singing first, sitting next to Lana in the piano bench, and wink at Jacob who smiles brightly at me. We then sing the chorus, then Lana sings a solo, looking like its simple, and we both finish with an inspired "Wab-bob-bom-wah-wob-bob-bom-waaaaaaaaah!"

Applauses, we get up and curtsy like one. Lana keeps playing a tune in the piano and I head toward the bar to fix a no-alcohol drink and cut a couple of slices of chocolate cake, for me and Jacob; John isn't fond of chocolate (best thing in this planet, I think). He gets up and I take his place next to Jacob.

"Nice song, you sounded really good, like you were having fun."

"Thanks!", I beam at him. "I was, I'm glad you liked it."

"She's good.", he nods towards Lana. His arm casually surrounds me, I smile and sigh happily.

"Yes, she is something else. She doesn't sing solo very often, for the most part she just plays the piano, but she has a nice voice. People like us often…" I curse myself for that slip.

"Like you… what?"

"Nothing, I'm… is it hot in here?" I touch his hand, too warm; and I reach for his forehead. "Jacob, you're really hot…"

"I'm okay, don't worry." He pauses. "Tell me, Isa, do you… like me?" I blush intensely.

"Maybe." I mumble. "Maybe I more than like you." His smiles slowly.

"But not more than Cullen."

"What kind of a question is that? I hardly remember him. I get glimpses sometimes, but… it's not like I'm holding out for an idiot who abandoned me in the middle of nowhere, at _night_. I'd either have to be completely in love with him or out of my mind." He chuckles and looks at my hand, commenting on the cold scar I have. I reply I don't recall how I got it, vaguely reminding the whole affair and shrugging it off.

We start, an ethereal-like voice swirls around the room, and everybody's eyes are on Lana. I gape for moments; she is singing a song of our world, of the Soul Wanders. I blink back tears and before I realize it, I'm sitting next to her, singing along. For Earthlings, since our language is so fluid and musical, no doubt it sounds like it has no lyrics, but it does, and they are powerful. Most people are looking like they're about to cry, in a good sense, of course. Jacob's eyes shine like a beacon, and my heart stutters to what I find there, a mix of hope and love. There is maddening silence when our performance comes to an end and then enthusiastic applause.

Again I join Jacob, a serene smile on my face. He swallows hard.

"I thought you didn't like music."

"This girl does. You've got your facts wrong." I look at him. "Jacob, are you feeling well?"

"I… do feel strange." I shudder; the spirit of the wolf is growing strong in him.

"Maybe you're getting sick. You should head home right away. Do you feel well enough to drive?"

"Yes. Don't worry. I'd love to stay, but I should really go. I'll call you later, okay?"

"I'll call _you_ soon, instead. Just to make sure you got home safe." I kiss his forehead.

As soon as Jacob leaves, Jen, the waitress comes in to replace Lana. The other waitress who covers for Lana is sick with the floo. We say goodnight to John and head upstairs, to Lana's apartment. I fill her in on all that's going on in my life and about Jacob.

"I believe Jacob will turn soon." I nod and feel a bit guilty. "I believe our singing helped a bit too. Nothing to worry about; it was already to be expected. It will make your mating easier." I blush and bit back.

"I'm not making him my mate."

"Don't be silly. Once he gets used to what he is you'll be able to be honest about yourself."

"Yes, that's all fine and dandy, but he's in love with Bella Swan, not Arwen d'Erley."

"They are one and the same now; and from what I gather, he knows Arwen d'Erley better than he ever dreamed of knowing Bella Swan." She smiles. "He's in love with _you_."

"And what do you propose, oh wise one?", she laughs wholeheartedly.

"Well, the bikes are ready, right?" I nod. "He promised he'd teach you how to ride them, right?" I nod again. "Well, hold him to that promise." I snort, I don't think the rest of the bunch will let me, considering I befriended the Cullens.

"What about the others?", Lana smiles evilly.

"Don't you worry your pretty little head." I smile back; she always has the most interesting ideas, so everything's going to be okay. Lana goes into her bedroom to change and I do the same behind a panel in the living room. I go into the bathroom and so does she, in her turn; I glimpse at my watch. Jacob's probably home by now. I call him and Billy tells me he's not so good, resting. I ask Billy to tell Jacob I called and he promises he will. I disconnect and, after closing all the windows, I face Lana.

Now we're ready, dressed from top to bottom in black, our faces covered.

"We look… badass." Lana giggles. "You know, I was thinking… maybe I'll let you hit me a few times and see if Cullen shows up. He gets that trademark scowl on his face; it brightens my day so...", Lana smirks and raises her hand to the front part of the living room, full of plants – Lana loves her plants – most specifically to two big vases with English Ivy. She grew them to form a perfect circle, big enough for two people to pass by comfortably; and, asking the Goddess for guidance, she waves her hand in a simple circle and a gate opens there, looking very much like the surface of the sea, but completely peaceful. We pass through it, one at a time and emerge on a clearing in the woods. The portal closes behind me as soon as I pass and I effortlessly dodge at a bunch of thick tree roots Lana attacks me with. I answer with a quick succession of several fireballs, wounding Lana. She gets ready to answer but I speak through the mind link.

'_Stay put. We have company._' Huge wolves surround us. '_Hell, couldn't you have chosen another part of the forest? Did it _have _to be so close to La Push?_' I can feel her sheepish grin in my mind.

'_What can I say? I'm a wolf lover. Besides, they're more interested in the female vampire. They were after her. She passed me by real fast after I came through the portal, she didn't see anything, though, since I cloaked it and myself._'

'_She must be miles away now. That only leaves the wolves._' I sigh. '_Ready to run, again?_'

'_I could use the warm-up. You go first; I'll stall them._'

.-.-.-.

Arwen makes a wall of fire, a special one who burns only those who get too close. It's a bit tricky because if one casts it clumsily, it could burn a whole forest down. I can get through it without harm, fortunately; the same cannot be said for the wolves.

The wolves start growling, I envelop them in earth-made coffins, erupting them from the very ground of the forest. One of the massive wolves swiftly jumps away just in time, crouching. He growls at me menacingly, shaking off some dirk from his dark silver fur, and suddenly lungs at me. I escape by inches and retreat a few steps. We stare at each other for a few moments and we freeze. I feel his eyes are pulling me in. The wolf is shocked and jumps back, sniffing the air around me. I, too, am sidetracked, and my mental grip on the encasings slip; the other wolves break free. Shit! I'm close enough to the firewall and I dart through it, leaving the wolves behind me. I pause after passing it and I feel them trying to follow me; then I hear a loud whine. I shudder; it's the silver wolf. I quickly join Arwen, who opens a portal and before I pass it I hear a mournful howl. Later that night, as I fall asleep, I take it with me into the land of dreams.

.-.-.-.

I'd really like some more reviews, yes? :-D


	9. Chapter 9

Thank you for the reviews people. It's great to know you enjoy the story. And pretty please review.

(*) – from _New_ _Moon_ movie.

**Chapter 9 – Revelations**

Arwen didn't ask any questions last night, but she gently prods me when we settle in the kitchen for brunch.

"I'm not as Earth attuned as you are, Lana, but that wolf howl was… he sounded like he was in agony." That about sums it up. "What happened?"

"We… I trapped them, but one escaped." An image of the fierce looking silver wolf flashes through my eyes, and I sniff. "I… well, there was a moment when… he looked at me, in my eyes. I felt…" I try to show her through the mind link; she jumps, the chair falls.

"My Goddess, Lana! That… felt like…"

"Like the memories the ancient ones gave us about bonded couples. How their bond felt." I pause. "Of course, since there wasn't any consummation in my case, this feels a **lot** less intense, a bit embryo-like. And he felt it too."

"Who was it?"

"I was thinking about going there sometime, link with those trees, you know. He might have shifted there, or somewhere close. I have my suspicions, though. I _think_ I know who he is, but I have to be certain." I sigh. "Shouldn't you call Jacob?"

"I already did. Billy says he can't answer me. That's not like Jacob at all, the Jacob I know would have called; I think he must have changed by now, don't you think?" I concur.

"I think we should take John down to Billy's house for a visit. For old times' sake." I don't answer, but I have a bad feeling about it.

.-.-.-.-.

Billy is a bit put out when he sees Isabella Swan thinly smiling at him, politely greeting him, holding an umbrella in a death grip; a slightly menacing vision thanks to her faithful sunglasses. When he sees John they share a manly hug and he introduces me. In the meantime, Arwen makes herself at home and barges into Jacob's room, only to find him leaving the house through the backdoor, rain pouring over him.

His flowing black hair was cut off, and he is bare from waist up, not an ounce of fat in his body.

I sense her going out through the same door, going after him; I excuse myself, making some polite remark, and head outside, cloaking my presence so as not to be seen as I move, and uncloaking myself as I look around me, hiding behind a tree.

Jacob is trying to "break up" with Bella. Whatever; I roll my eyes. As if! They weren't together in the true sense of the word, for starters. He's saying he's not a good kid anymore, yada yada yada.

Arwen tries to reason with him, tries to make him talk about what's bothering him, but to no avail. I try to reach her through the mind link, to make her retreat; to tell her he's not ready yet. Then he makes some cutting remark, because Arwen freezes. I only hear part of it, and I too freeze.

"Go home, and don't come back, or else you're going to get hurt." (*)

Jacob dismisses her, _just like that_, and turns her back on Arwen d'Erley. I move towards Arwen and grab her umbrella, closing it, as the rain finally stops, the sky remaining cloudy.

"It isn't time yet, Arwen." She takes her sunglasses off and hands them to me, speaking tiredly.

"He knows the Cullens are vampires."

"Werewolves and vampires are natural enemies. He'll come around." She nods. "We need to get you someplace warm." She is getting paler by the minute, and she swoons, I grab her and take her into the house and settle her on the living room's couch. Billy Black doesn't react but John blanches. I answer his anxious look, whispering.

I turn to Billy. "Could she have a glass of water, please." He turns and disappears into the kitchen. Arwen starts to shiver on the couch, John whispers to her to be strong, that everything's going to work out well in the end.

"Arwen, look at me!" She stares at me. "I have no doubt he doesn't realize how much he hurt you, but he wasn't rejecting you. He's just confused, I'll talk to him." Arwen shakes her head. "I will, and there's nothing you can do about it. Try to pull yourself together, I know it's hard but you must. For Charlie." She stops shivering, little by little. "Atta good girl. John…" I sigh. "Take her home, I'll try to talk to Jacob. I'll..." Billy Black is behind me, no doubt he heard most of it, but he gives me no indication; his face is serene.

"If you'll excuse me, I'll be going now, Mr. Black. Thank you for your time."

"So soon? Not going home with John and Isabella?"

"No." My eyes glow in an amber tone, reminiscent of vampires; I take Arwen's glasses and put them on. "I have a pack of wolves to confront." Billy stares at me and I leave.

The sky is only partly cloudy now. I jump from the porch onto the good earth and take a deep breath, hearing the whispers of the trees; I head towards _the place_, and I find it quickly, the pack of wolves is there, in human form. I keep some distance, noticing the soft breeze's direction so as not to alert them, discreetly joining with the trees. I'm certain now of the dark silver wolf's identity. He is there with the others; I adjust the glasses on my face and head towards the bunch of teenagers. Sam Uley is with them, I nod at him.

"Gentlemen." Hardly, they look like savages, bare from their waist up and their eyes distrustful. Haven't caught my scent yet, eh eh, otherwise they'd go berserk. "Jacob, may I have a word?"

"If this is about Bella, I have nothing to say to you."

"I see." I take a deep breath. "That's very brave of you, avoiding the problem, _wolf_." They all freeze.

"What are you talking about?" the wind changes direction and broadcasts my scent towards the pack, their posture immediately defensive. My little wolf takes a deep, audible, breath, filling his lungs with my scent. I want to hold him in my arms fiercely, but I control myself and avoid looking directly at him. "That wasn't very smart of you, placing yourself in our territory."

"I'm not afraid of the big bad wolves. Besides, like I said, I came to talk. Last night was just training for me and for Isabella Swan. Yes, that's right, she is _the_ _other_. You just happened to show up at the wrong place and wrong time. And I hope, since you realize, now, that she's _different_, that _we_ are different, she is bound to understand your _predicament_ better than most people, and there is no reason for you to hide from her." I pause. "In fact, I hope you address her as soon as you're able. She is your mate and your little fit back there hurt her immensely."

"That's not true." Sam speaks. "They didn't imprint."

"If this imprinting business," I say, taking off the sunglasses, and finally looking at _him_ "is anything like what happened last night, thus requiring eye contact?" he nods. "It's possible they haven't looked at each other in that way since Jacob's change. She was using sunglasses."

I hold the sunglasses in my hand, showing them to Sam; the glasses reflecting his image like a mirror.

"That might explain it. But what makes you think they're mates?"

"Perhaps we should have a seat?" I wave my hand, and moss covered solid dirt rises from the ground, shaped like comfortable seats, and I take my place, my palm up, inviting them to take their places. Sam stares a bit and sits, the pack doing the same, seconds later.

"You're an unusual woman.", says Sam.

"My _human_ name is Lana Brown. I am 18 years old. My body is human, but my powers flow from my soul. I come from an alien people who calls themselves Soul Wanders. Earth is very far away from home, but Wanders… well, they wander." I smirk. "You get the idea, we wander through the Universe, in some areas more than others, we're curious, what can I say…"

"Anyway… I've been on Earth for quite some time now. I work on the Old Man's pub, John is the owner and my partner, Jacob's been there already, and you are all welcome there. No funny business, it's neutral ground for all of you, naturally." I look at my little wolf. "I live on the apartment above the pub." He stares intensely; this isn't going so well, the big bad wolf looks like he's going to devour me. I shiver.

"Why Earth?", asks Jacob.

"For me? Why not? Sure, in many aspects it's a backward planet, compared to other more technologically advanced worlds. But it still has a lot of natural beauty, and there are more Wanders in this world than you might realize. I chose Earth the same way you could choose another country to live in, for the culture, for love or any other reason." He looks back at me. "I'm not leaving, I'm here to stay. There has been a disease and war… it decimated the population of males among my people, and since Earth has a good proportion of males, many attractive ones I might add, apart from the other advantages… it looked like a nice place to settle down."

"Arwen d'Erley, who you know as Isabella Marie Swan, is different. The Bella Swan you knew isn't the Bella you've been dealing with, Jacob Black. The soul of Arwen occupied Bella Swan's body." Jacob jumps off his seat and snarls at me. "Please hear me out, I'm not finished and this is important. Bella was attacked by a vampire; Sam found her as you recall. Her soul had already abandoned her body and Arwen's soul took her place. Arwen did not kill Bella Swan! She, for all that matters, was as good as dead."

I get up, my seat retracting into the ground as if it had never been disturbed.

"That is all I'm going to say about the matter. Talk to Arwen, _please_. She _cares_ about you, more than the Bella Swan you knew ever would, obsessed as she was with the Cullens." He starts shaking, probably preparing to phase. "She loves you, I think." He freezes. "Just because she never said it, doesn't mean she doesn't. I hope you finished the bikes, by the way. Too bad Arwen's never going to learn how to ride one." I taunt him, sarcasm now dripping from my voice. I raise my hand and ivy grows around me, in a circle; I open a portal and slide through it.

As I close the portal on the other side, I look around and walk for a bit, Arwen's house shows up, and, lucky me, she has just arrived. Charlie isn't home, his car isn't there. I walk quickly towards Arwen and John.

"I'll take it from here, John. Thanks." My arm circles her waist, supporting her as she ascends the stairs.

I share the memory of the prep talk with the wolves with her. She sniffs, faintly amused.

"Nice ending, dramatic touch and all."

"Thanks." I smirk.

"Paul looked besotted."

"He did not. He looked like he wanted to eat me." She snorts.

"Did not! He's interested. Clearly." Clearly, I daren't get my hopes up.

"This is a nice room. You did a nice job painting it blue." Talking about other stuff might help her not think too much on _him_.

"Yeah, I liked the color so much when I was experimenting. I kept the mirror as you can see. Took the dragonfly lights, though, and those posters have to go too."

"You could hang some paintings. I might look that up for you. The color goes well with floorboards color and…" I look at them, the ones right under the side of the bed and frown.

"What is it?" I crouch and touch them, knock on them and then start trying to lift a board, trying not to damage it. Underneath there are CDs and photographs. I place them on the bed and tip my head to the side.

"I didn't put those there!"

"Well, if you are sure, then Bella did." We look at the pictures, all with Edward Cullen or some other Cullen on them. "Or maybe she didn't. If she adored him so, she wouldn't hide these, since she didn't have time since the _accident_. And Charlie wouldn't either. If he had, he would have burnt these."

"You're right. Maybe Cullen?" I make a non-committing sound. "But why? If he didn't care, then why would he leave them behind, so close to her?"

"Perhaps he wanted a part of him to remain with Bella, even if he didn't."

"That makes sense. In a sickly romantic sort of way, I guess. But that would mean…"

"He never stopped loving her." We groan as one; males in this planet are the strangest thing. Trying to understand what goes through their brains is _not _my idea of fun; already I can feel the beginnings of a headache. "Let's discuss or do something else. How about dinner? Lasagna?"

"Sure."

We get started on it, making a special sauce and thinly slicing and frying eggplant to put on the lasagna, a little thing I once tried and that makes it delicious. When we finish it, we leave it on the kitchen counter and settle on the couch to watch an old movie from the forties, '_Out of the Past_'. I love the movies, it has the most interesting lines. Such as '_Let's go down to the bar. We can cool off while we try to impress each other._' Even though it might come out as a silly one, it reminds me of human courting in many ways.

I've seen it happen many times at the pub, humans pretending to be something they are not just to 'impress each other', and then having it blow up in their faces later; so many lies and so many masks to achieve nothing at the end.

Charlie shows up and watches a bit of the movie with us. He invites me to stay for dinner; I tell him I don't want to impose.

"You impose nothing, young lady; I do. I insist you stay." I make a phone call to John, telling him I won't be going to the pub much later; Jen will be covering for me.

Dinner is a pleasant affair. We fill Charlie in about the first part of the movie, since there's nothing much to discuss and then there's the dooming question, since we went to La Push. How is Jacob? She stutters so I answer he's doing okay, just a bit affected by the stomach flu.

"Oh? I talked to Billy and he told me the kid was fine." Damn. So much for making an apology for the little idiot's behavior.

"Well, he had a minor disagreement with Isabella." He looks suspiciously at Arwen. "Nothing that won't be solved soon enough."

.-.-.-.

The night starts and I settle between my bed covers. Charlie comes to check on me and I pretend to be asleep; he goes to bed and later on starts snoring. I think about this last weekend, its already Thursday, the week passed in a breeze and still no sign of Jacob. I sigh dejectedly, get up and stare through my window. I no longer need my sunglasses, which caused a bit of a commotion in school, my violet eyes the main subject of gossip for about two days only. I settle on my desk and finish some homework, and then I hear it; someone is throwing pebbles at my window, which I slide open. Suddenly I feel this immense joy!... it's Jacob. As he starts climbing up to my room I wonder what I should tell him, perhaps apologize for being such a nuisance, for pretending to be Bella Swan, for everything and nothing.

"Jake, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you, to deceive you, but…", I can't even look at him.

"I don't even know what to call you." He says, quietly. "Bella, Isabella, Arwen? Which one are you, damn it?" I close the distance between us and I feel _it._ A thousand strings connecting me and Jake. He looks dumbfounded, and for a full minute we remain silent.

"Did we just… how do you call it? Imprint?"

"Yeah," he answers, his voice husky, "We did." He raises his two hands to my face and caresses it, swallowing hard. "There are a few things I don't understand."

"My body is human, but my soul makes the difference. It allows me to have the powers that Lana has, although I'm more prone to manipulate Fire and Air, and I heal much faster. That's how, after Bella's soul left, I managed to survive in her body. Everything is as she was, except for the eyes. I could, to a certain point, convert the looks of this body to how I was before, but…"

"But? What kept you from doing that?"

"Sam showed up and later on I realized that, as Bella Swan, I would have a father. A father, Jake! I never had a father to call my own. Family, when all of my kin is dead. So… I couldn't bring myself to do it, to take a daughter, a loved one, from a good man like Charlie."

My eyes overflow with tears and Jacob holds me close, nuzzling my neck, his scent enveloping me.

"Jake… do you forgive me? For all this mess?"

"You're my imprint, whatever you name is." Oh, _the_ smile is back. "Maybe it's a God sending, that it's you, and not someone else, someone who wouldn't understand my…"

"Little furry problem?" he laughs out loud, and we start. I vaguely hear dad's snores stopping and steps. Jacob leaps from my window and I look towards the woods.


	10. Chapter 10

**Important Note!** I'm thinking about introducing a couple more characters, which aren't really part of Twilight universe, so I ask you: would you like me to develop the stories behind that, here? They could also be inserted on other stories (fanfiction of authors like Laurann Dohner, Angela Castle and Tracy St. John – check Zorn Warriors, Cyborg Seduction, Kalquor and Kelon Warriors) that aren't listed in (apart from Sakura CardCaptors, which is anime/manga), but as I write them I will post them so you only need to check my profile. I'm not fishing for reviews here… I really want to know. I'm not sure I should do it, it might force me to write juicy juicy lemons (it will!) and the rating would have to go up… (I'm not sure I'd be any good at writing lemons but if you want to I'm willing to try! lol)

**Chapter 10 – Leave this place behind**

Jacob has Arwen, Arwen has Jacob.

I have no one.

I waited for weeks, but he didn't come to see me. In the beginning, I was angry for it; how dare he _not understand_? Not try? Later, when my anger, at last, subsided, I pondered and realized he probably didn't like the idea of an alien imprint. Can't say I blame him. But staying put, waiting for someone who isn't that into me to start with to show up really isn't my thing. Arwen and John both understood that.

And so, I decided to take an extended vacation. I asked John to have someone trustworthy – should he or Arwen be unable to – to water my plants for me, close and open my windows. I'm not too worried; without my powers they are, for any human, vampire or werewolf, simple plants; any important stuff is either with John or Arwen.

I look around my apartment and frown; so many years I'm leaving behind, even though I know I will return. But truthfully, I have come to love this world as it is, as well as the humans. They often lose their way, perhaps because they haven't the light or guidance they need, or haven't breathed the dust of the stars, as we have. When you are _up there_, in the nothingness, there is a silence where you can just be yourself and let go. Sing your song, and your soul to the ever shining stars and rejoice in the travel and discovery of new worlds or, very simply, of yourself.

Arwen and John have decided to advertise my leave through some brochures. I scowl at the reminder on my coffee table; they had the gall to distribute some of these in Forks High School, and Isa conspired with Jacob and Billy Black to spread those in the reservation school and La Push. Thus they expect to have full house and for, no doubt, tempt Paul to come visit the pub and see me.

It's no use; as I, along with Isabella, entertain the customers with piano playing and singing, my mood darkens as the night comes to an end. Why isn't he here? Has Sam put him on patrol tonight? Who am I trying to trick here? I already know he is not coming, if he wanted to see me he would have come long ago.

Then why?

Why?

At last, Arwen, Jacob and John close the pub. I sit on the piano bench and caress the ivory keys, my fingertips growing cold already. Perhaps I should forget about him, forget about the imprint, the incomplete bond, and return to the Soul Wanders world, permanently. Arwen heard that thought and she gasps.

"You wouldn't! You can't leave Paul!"

"I think he already made clear, dear Arwen, he is NOT interested." I sigh. Great, just what I need to hear. "Plus, the others will be arriving in a few minutes and I will be off world soon enough." Arwen's face scrunches up. "Don't cry, my friend." She sniffs.

"Paul's an idiot." I smile.

"I know." I pause. "But you know I can't stay here like this, forever. The longer I linger without him, yet close to him, the more I'll suffer. I deserve better."

I go up to the apartment once again and patiently wait. I didn't let Arwen or John in; I hate goodbyes or see you laters. The portal opens and three young women finally arrive, all wearing sensible clothes and each with a big travel case. We smile; no words are needed between us. One of them opens her hand and speaks.

"Key that hides the powers of the stars, show your true form before me!"

A key glows in the darkness, lighting a glowing circle. And thus our adventure begins.

* * *

><p>So this is Old Man's pub. Looks ominous. I don't get why people are so excited about the damn place.<p>

_Maybe it's because _she_ is singing tonight_.

Or was. By the looks of it, the show's over. Sam let me have the night off. Well, he _ordered_ me to take the night off and settle things with my imprint.

Lana Brown. The name suits her.

Damn, I have enough to deal with! Why couldn't she be more like Emily, human? Why?

Still, I have to fix this. When Jacob told me _she_ was leaving God knows where to.

_No__ one knows when she's coming back_, Jacob said. _Not even Arwen_.

The pub seems to be closed so I knock. Again and again and again. I try her apartment, above the pub, but to no avail. I start panicking, but I calm down when Bella shows up. When she opens the door I burst in and look around me.

"You're too late." I freeze.

"What are you talking about?"

"She's gone." She has a look of pity in her face and I frown. She's probably gone on one of those odd-hour flights. I'm fast, I'll shift and catch her on the airport.

"What's her flight number?"

"None. Paul… she…"

"Paul," Jacob's here and takes his imprint's side. "She didn't travel the regular, human way."

"What the hell do you mean Jacob?" I start shaking, fury flows through me, why can't they frigging stop talking in riddles. "What… where is she?"

"What I mean is she's probably not on Earth anymore, somewhere on outer space."

Panic and fear explode in my head. I vaguely hear an old man scream and a pitying howl fills the pub.

* * *

><p>Please tell me if you'd like more than Twilight Universe in this or other stories, pretty please.<p> 


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11 – Bikes and accidents and Cullen, oh my!**

_**Isabella/Arwen**_

It's a beautiful sunny day. I love Saturdays. I park my faithful red truck and Jacob takes both bikes off it, placing them on the ground.

I love how strong he is.

If Lana was here... she'd laugh at me and tease me for being so... so...

Nevermind that.

"Thinking about Lana?", asks Jacob.

"Yeah, can't help it."

"You were really close, before your... human life?"

"Yes, what with searching for compatible races with our own and such." I pause. "I'd rather not talk about it." He seems to know my moods rather well, then it's all out for him to see how painful it is for me, to remember the past. "Some other time, perhaps."

He holds me in his arms for a bit; I breathe in his scent and nuzzle his neck.

"How is Paul?", I mumble into his well-defined pectoral. He growls, like the wolf he is; my belly tightens. Goddess, but I love that sound!

"I appreciate your concern with my pack mate, but I'd rather not discuss other guys when we're...", he hesitates.

"Oh, having a moment?", he smirks. "Well, I won't do it again, then. But since _the moment_ has gone under, maybe now you could tell me about Paul?"

Jacob smiles tenderly at me, and caresses my hair, mumbling something in Quileute.

"Paul is..." he hesitates. "different."

"Different... how?"

"Well... he was rather aggressive, had a temper. He's calmed down in these last three weeks, a lot. Remember I told you how Sam was always with him, so he wouldn't phase?" I nod. "Not anymore. He's not so much of a jerk now; I think he's actually controlling himself for the first time, being more responsible, you know... being a werewolf and all..."

I pause and nod, keeping my thoughts to myself. I make a mental note to visit Paul one of these days; having the strange feeling his behavior is not what they think. I get on one of the bikes and Jacob shows me how to drive it, his big hands gently touching mine. Our eyes meet, his dark eyes shining with promise, I look at him, smile, wink, and take off.

I hear Jacob getting on his bike and I'm getting the hang of it. And suddenly... there he is. Cullen Schmullen, the vampire looking like death froze over! Or is it hell? Humans and their sayings!

Maybe my mind is making this up? Maybe he's not really here, and is just a ghost, a manifestation of what remains of Bella Swan's spirit and the promise she made? Maybe...

Damn it! I've fallen after hitting the bike against a tree; that's what I get for getting sidetracked. My head hurts, something warm and liquid trickles down my forehead. I'm bleeding; Jacob's fast and is already all over me, settling me on his lap, him sitting on a stone. I gape at the easy, fluid way he takes off his sweater, making a compress out of it to gently dab my forehead.

I shut my mouth and, still admiring the hunk's _ehem_, I mean, Jacob's wonderfully shaped torso, I decide there and then not to remind him I heal fast and so I keep the wound open, bleeding, and relax into his body.

At the third consecutive sigh of obvious enjoyment, Jacob teases me.

"Enjoying yourself, Arwen d'Erley?"

"Why, yes! You make a wonderful couch, I really should replace the one in our living room with you." I smile. "But you shouldn't call me that. You might develop a habit difficult to explain to other people."

"I guess.", he grins, and suddenly becomes serious. "Isabella... what happened? You were getting the hang of it, but then you started looking everywhere except for..."

"I know." I get off his lap. "Please, don't get me wrong, Jacob, but... I think I'm having hallucinations or something."

I then tell Jacob about the "visions" of Edward Cullen.

"It's always _him_.", he mumbles, trembling.

"Jacob. Stop, stop it. I don't know Edward Cullen." he glares at me. "Honest. I have Bella's memories, but I want nothing to do with him, and he's not coming back! I'm not Bella! I'm... me!" I take his hand and make him face me, take his beautiful face in my hands. "And you are my mate, the blood to my heart. There is no one else, but _you_."

And so he locks his eyes to mine and then our lips timidly meet, then gently feel each other. The tenderness is such it brings tears to my eyes.

Then, the tenderness becomes something else entirely.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Lana Brown and Company<strong>_

Eleniel **[AN-pronounced as Ehl-een-ee-ell, the translation for this name is Cohava, which means star.]** gazed at the immensity of the space in front of her. She glimpsed at Anira's back **[AN-pronounced as Ah-neer-ah, Desiree, which means desired]**, who was heading towards the command room to join Naerdiel and worried.

Naerdiel, known among the humans as Lana Brown was, indeed, acting in a fitting way, proud of the meaning of her name: lady of sorrows. Poor Lana, poor Naerdiel.

"Eleniel!", I turn and face Sakura Kinomoto, who joins me, looking at the stars. "It's beautiful, isn't it?"

"Yes. Yes." I sigh. "I never tire of it. I had forgotten how I loved to be up here."

"I guess you spent a lot of time back on Earth, huh?"

"Oh, most definitely!" I smile. "How are you holding up?"

"Well, I'm loving it, this ship is amazing! I was afraid I'd get cabin fever, but this is completely different from what I was expecting!"

"I'm glad you like it."

All of us are nearing thirty year old, except for Sakura, in her twenties. Anira brought her along, thinking the little human might enjoy the trip and be useful to herself and us. Plus, she was someone we could trust, being a mage.

"And the bathrooms! Or should I call them spas?", she sighs contentedly. "I don't think I ever pampered myself so much!"

"Yes, we Soul Wanders do like traveling in comfort. Since the ships are made of organic material, generated when we are in our purest form, you can do all sorts of things. Waterfalls, pools, forests, inside the ship, if you want to make a big one, that is."

"But if it's so advanced, why would you need a control room? I mean, isn't that a weakness? You can actually talk to the ship and make it do whatever you want from any point of it."

"Yes. But it's easier that way, especially when we have guests such as you, dear Sakura."

"I don't want to be a bother.", she smiles.

"Nonsense. Of course you're not."

We jump at the sudden voice and turn to at Naerdiel.

"Lana! I mean Naerdiel."

Lana smiles gently, wearing sadness like a heavy cloak.

"If something should go wrong with us, you can come back to the ship and command it. You already learned it in these 7 weeks that have passed." She pauses. "I came to ask you something.", says Lana.

"Anything!", answers Sakura.

"Careful, now.", teases Anira. "You don't know what we are going to ask!"

"Oh, I'm sure it's something I can handle!" we all laugh at her humour.

"Sakura, I had told you we were going down, to a planet."

Yes, Naerdiel did tell her that. And it was settled that, should some kind of trouble surge, that Sakura was to remain cloaked, hidden, and use her staff and her magical powers to travel in time and space with us, to escape. Temporarily, of course.

Then and there I should have known. I should have known we never should have left the ship.

I should have known that everything was about to go horribly wrong and that our lives would change forever.

* * *

><p>Did you like it?<p> 


	12. Chapter 12

All credit from Twilight Universe goes to Missus Meyer, Soul Wanders are mine, and the rest is all Tracy St. John's Book 3 of the Clans of Kalquor Series. Lets see where Lana/Naerdiel has gone to.

**WARNING:** I having written those yet, but I predict that the rating might go up in chapter 13 or 14, so it will be an M level story. I'll warn you, signaling the Lemons in the text, if I write any. Thanks!

**Chapter 12**

Isabella Swan walked through the forest, passing through the trees, humming to herself.

She often wondered, lately, about how lucky she was.

_Still, I wish Lana was here._

Nevertheless, our dear Soul Wander now approaches Sam Uley's imprint house.

_Emily's supposed to be home at this hour. _

A young woman comes out of the house, into the porch. She notices Isabella and waves at her, coming out of the woods. As Arwen approaches, Emily's face is clearly visible, a scar partly marring her face, her eyes shining as she smiles at Isabella.

"Hey, wolf girl.", Isabella says.

"Back at you.", Emily smirks, and Isa laughs a bit.

They enter the house and Isabella sees _him_.

"Oh, … Paul!", both women share a look. "I didn't know you were here." Isa glares at Emily, like saying _you could have told me!_

"Hey Isabella. Or should I call you Arwen?" Emily quietly leaves the room, mumbling something about getting apples from the garden. _Hey, she doesn't have an apple tree... be more obvious Em, will you!_

"Isabella, please." she pauses, accessing him. "How have you been?"

"Like hell." Paul takes a deep breath. "Listen... we caught a bloodsucker two nights ago. Jacob's beside himself, he's been trying to find you."

"Oh? Well, I have been out since morning, so I'm not surprised."

"Yeah, I know you're" he swallows, "different, but you have to be more careful from now on."

"Don't worry so much, Paul." she pauses, "Any distinctive marks on the vampire?"

"Dark-skinned, had dreadlocks.", at Arwen's intake of breath and shudder, both turn to notice Jacob's arrived. She turns to him, slightly pale.

"What's wrong?" he frowns. "You look like you're going to be sick."

"I... it's nothing. I just... had a..."

"What?"

"We were talking about the vampire we caught. Did you know him?"

"Yes, his name was Laurent." Isa nods. "Yes, he was with two other vampires, James and Victoria." she fingers her hand scar and lifts it. "James gave me this; he no longer lives. So Laurent and Bella weren't exactly on speaking terms."

"Yeah," says Jacob. "That's not very comforting. The other bloodsucker might decide to pay you a call. People have been dying in the woods; just yesterday two people were chopped into pieces, and the whole place was smelling like vampire. It was a female leech, we were too late."

"What did she look like?"

"Redhead.", says Paul.

"It's Victoria then."

"No more trekking in the woods alone, Isa. You wanna go, you tell us." she smiles at Jacob.

"Don't you mean for _us_ to be _you_?", she teases.

"Well... if the lady insists... what can I do but obey?", Jacob gentlemanly bows at her and takes her hand.

"Humm... I shall think about it." she curtsies. "But now, sir, please be so kind as to give me a moment only with your good pack-mate, Paul."

* * *

><p>Jacob finally leaves me alone with his imprint. I could tell he didn't want to; how can he stand it? To stay away from her for almost two days?<p>

Lana, I'm so sorry, so sorry I took so long to look for you... I wish you knew that.

I'm an idiot!

"Paul?" I look at Isabella and take a deep breath.

"Please. I...", I can't talk anymore, my eyes become watery. Isabella's face is not as clear as before.

"You miss Lana horribly, don't you?" I turn my back on her. "It's... I understand, I've seen it before. It's not just because you're a werewolf, but also because she is a Wander, and you _are_ mates, two halves of one whole. She was in denial, and I guess so were you."

I turn to her again and sit on the couch, shivering. Two halves... God, I feel like I'm coming apart. I vaguely hear her talk about that day on the beach when Lana saw me in the distance and felt a pull. If I had gotten to know her then, I would have thought she was a normal person, maybe things would have been different, she'd come to care about me, she would have stayed, I'd do anything to have made her stay...

"Paul... this is a stupid question, but I have to know..."

"What do you want to know?" I answer, sullenly. "You don't know where she is. My Lana's gone. I was a git and she's not coming back, is she? You want to know how I feel? I feel empty. I feel like nothing matters anymore. I just go through everyday's routine because... the pack is all I've got. And I know, deep down... she's not coming back. I screwed up, I didn't even give her a chance. I... I don't deserve her. I just want everything to just _end._"

I don't give her a chance to retort, I just get up and leave.

Lana, I'm so sorry. Please...

* * *

><p><em><strong>Arwen, La Push.<strong>_

I'm running, running as fast as I can, the tree branches hitting and marring my skin. No matter what, I can't use my powers against Victoria; she can't know I'm different.

I try to discreetly use the forest's conscience against her, slowing her down, the good trees and climbing plants subtly getting in her way, grabbing her by the ankles, thick fog surrounding her, echos from here and there, confusing her. I jump into the cliff and dark cold water envelops me. I'm so cold...

Jacob, where are you?

I stay underwater for a few minutes, swimming all along. I come up to breathe and I notice Victoria's gone.

When I finally reach the beach, I notice Sam Uley's there, patrolling in wolf form. I get out of the water, dragging myself. Sam phases into human form and I fall to my knees.

"Isa, what's wrong?", Sam kneels next to me, I'm out of breath.

Goddess, I hope Jacob doesn't show up after all, this is _just _a bit awkward. His Alpha is naked, right next to me.

I hear Paul arrive and mumble to his Alpha that if he was in Jacob's shoes and his imprint had ever seen him naked he'd rip off Sam's head; I mentally giggle and loose conscience.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Lana Brown and Company<strong>_

_**Arina's POV**_

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that we are royally f**ked.

Royally, really.

I scan our surroundings; how on God's green Alderaan, world of the Soul Wanders in case you're wondering, have we come to this point?

Today, me, Elendiel, Naerdiel (also known among humans as Lana Brown) and Sakura Kinomoto (a mage) went down to a planet.

Actually... we kinda crashed and then there was the portal affair.

In case you're wondering, I'm a Soul Wander who just happened, in grave need, to find a dead witch victim to a particularly big magical snake and didn't look the gifted horse in the mouth.

You know, being a witch is not too bad. I've learned a lot. It gave me a very peculiar perspective on... a lot of things.

And the helpless maiden and amnesia part is easy to play – Goddess, I can't believe people actually _still fall for that one_, it's _so_ cliche!

Anyway, the problem with being a witch wasn't remembering the torture that going through the magical educational system was.

Oh, no. It was remembering the things she did in her past life. The killings. The torture.

Did you know she tortured a couple straight to madness?

Guessed already who she was? Yes, life's a bitch. I'd know.

But I'm not going into the gory details right now. _Those _gory details anyway.

Well, as I was saying, we crashed.

Okay, maybe I had a part to play in that.

The shuttle malfunctioned.

Okay, okay... so it didn't malfunction. I screwed up, we crashed. Anyway, being Soul Wanders, getting back to the mother-ship wouldn't be a problem, so when we woke up from the accident we tried to go through a portal and got here instead of the ship. Logically, we, Naerdiel and me, started exploring. We had come to all alone, no sign of Sakura or Elendiel, curiously. So here I am, gripping my wand, discreetly, all the while, waiting for Naerdiel to come back. It's funny how I became so dependent on it, I like it. I can do different things with it, like delving into the minds of others. The offensive magic is also interesting and quicker to _me_ than using my race's gifts.

You didn't think we were all perfect, did you? Lana and Elendiel are great with their gifts, far better than I could ever be.

In a way, awakening in the body of a witch was one of the best things that could ever have happened to me.

I fidget, and then twirl a errant long lock of dark honey hair in one of my fingers. I look around, again. Lana finally shows up.

"So?", I ask her. She looks a bit strange.

"Well. From what I can tell, the portal sent us right back to the solar system.", Lana speaks uncertainly.

"That's great! We can easily go back to Earth! Now we just need to find the others. But I tried to contact Elendiel through the mind link a bit ago..."

"You shouldn't have done that while I wasn't here, all alone, it could be dangerous, somebody could find you...", she looks like she's going to eat me!

"Hey! I did it, okay? And I was going to ask you to try too because it's not working!"

"I admit I tried as well. And I failed, just as you." aha, I look triumphant. _So you did the same and all by yourself, all alone, it could be dangerous, bla bla!_, I tease her through the mind link. Then, I stop it. Naerdiel looks too serious. Something's very wrong. Horribly wrong.

"Arina..."

"Wait... you said we are in the solar system. Did you imply that..." I gulp, "we are not alone?"

"Yes."

"As in, in another planet."

"As in, in one of Jupiter's moons."

I look around us. It doesn't look like it. There is _oxygen_, for crying out loud. But it's not exactly a tropical jungle – the understatement of the century –, it's too cold for my taste, and... none of Jupiter's moons, not even the Galilean ones, can hold human life in this manner. The atmosphere is too different for that. But Naerdiel wouldn't say such a thing if she wasn't certain.

"I'm afraid, Arina. I don't think Eleniel or Sakura are here at all. And how did we get here, exactly? We were too far away... I believe you should try to turn into one of your animal forms and try to wander away from here, see if you can figure something out of this. There is a compound that way.", she points. "I think you should go, undercover."

"What else did you find out?", I ask her, quietly. I don't like the idea but I can see the wheels in her brain turning.

"Our ship's not on orbit; what am I saying! We're not in the same place, somehow we traveled, when we passed the portal, through space. I'm not too worried about it, since we had set the mother-ship to self-destruct should we not return. I'm going to make a new shuttle and cloak it, just in case. There is a spaceship coming this way... I didn't want to attract more of its attention so I left my purer form and came back here. It wasn't that big, so I don't think it was a battleship. But... it did have other ships escorting it. It must carry important cargo."

I sigh. _Merlin's beards. Spaceships! What if you were picked up on its instruments?_

"Even if they did, I disappeared almost right away. I waited and watched; it's still docked. I'll work on the shuttle." I nod at Naerdiel and turn my back on her. "Be careful. If you don't come back in a few hours of I can't contact you via mind link I'll come and get you." I face her again and smile reassuringly.

"It'll be fine. I have the tracking silver coin." I tap the old coin, in a chain around my neck. It's medieval and hammered, simple and unassuming, in other words, the sort of thing that goes unnoticed by most people.

I put my wand in my special holster, rendering it secure _and_ invisible. I focus on within and I feel myself becoming smaller and smaller. When my shape stabilizes, I give Lana a kitty grin and I trot away, between what little vegetation there is, not worrying myself about marks; there won't be a lot of them, me being a cat.

I was thrilled when I realized, at the time, that I was an animagus! I love this form, with long dark grey fur, almost black. Perfect for anyone to pet, and do they love to do that when they catch me. That and talk. Never could understand why people feel compelled to talk and cry their eyes out when they hold me. Maybe it's because I'm so cute. Eh, eh.

After about thirty minutes of running and stopping to hear the gloomy elements, I finally reach a compound. There is the ship. I get closer and closer. It appears to be a cargo ship, boxes going into the depressing looking compound.

With still some time to spare I get into the building. It's quiet inside, I reach a room that is almost completely empty, save for two people in it; an old man, dressed as military and a young woman, plainly dressed, with a scarf on her head. I listen to their conversation.

I can sense the woman's despair. The man is her grandfather, and she has been here for sometime. Too much, I grimace. A convent! They made a convent in such a horrible place, as a punishment for Goddess knows what. It is obvious she was, at first, elated for leaving this place behind, but apparently the _jerk_, ehem, grandfather decided she is to marry some idiotic, ehem, respectable boring old man. Girl, I so don't envy you!

What also makes alarms sound in my head is that the room isn't just a room, but a chapel, different from what I'm used to seeing in Earth, and they are Earthers; so I look at the strange combination of religious symbols in the altar. The moron, ehem, leaves the young woman, Cassidy is her name, and as soon as the doors to the chapel close behind him, his steps fading away, she sinks to her knees and cries.

Poor girl. I get close to her and nuzzle her legs. She starts and as she sets her eyes on me I try to look as innocent and as cute as possibly. Ever seen the movie Shrek? Remember Puss in Boots? Oh yeah!

"Meow..."

"Oh... nice kitty... did someone bring you on the cargo ship?"

"Meow!", _if that's what you think, that will do, hon._

"Grandfather couldn't have brought you... you're almost black. He'd most likely have a white cat." _no shit, Sherlock! How insulting! On top of it all he just had to have prejudices against black cats!_

"You seem to like me.", she smiles tentatively. I purr at her, she pets me and scractches behind my ears. "I'm going to take you with me to my room, okay? I hope you won't make noise, otherwise the other sisters will hear and they might cause me trouble. You're so pretty... I always wanted to have a cat."

_Oh, yeah, am I good or what! Yes, take me, take me. It's your chance to have the kitty you always wanted..._

She eventually takes into her room, after hiding me in her nun's habit, and later on a bundle of her clothes which she picked up along the way, giving me a great mean to spy on the other ones. We did meet up with some fierce looking sisters. The continuous talk about sins, and scolding of everybody by everybody was giving this kitty a headache!

Was it possible that all this people were fanatics? They were all women, and they all look so... repressed? Depressed? Hum... perhaps it was both!

At last Cassidy, I'll just call her Cassie, closed the door behind her and, setting the bundle on the bed, sat beside it and released me from my hiding spot. I quietly meow at her, trying to look grateful, rub against her.

"I'll have to share my food with you, but I have to warn you it won't be much. Stealing is a sin, and I can't steal from the kitchens. I know I'll get caught. I don't want anyone to tell on me and have grandfather know. He might go back on his word and I'll be trapped here for God knows how long. I know I deserve it, I'm a sinner."

Poor sweetheart. Whoever gave you such ideas? You! You're too young to worry about such things!

She takes me into her lap and I listen. She tells me of her mother, of how she had carnal relations with a man she wasn't married to. After that, everything went downhill to our Cassie, poor child. She is obviously an innocent on all of it. And with a knack to hide in the air vents of the convent and spy on the other nuns. And read books she's not supposed to. Forbidden ones like the Kama Sutra! Now, I'm _really_ starting to like her!

She eventually leaves to have dinner, leaving me alone in the dark. I look at the air conduct above me. I change into human and escape into it. I settle somewhere quiet and open a mind link.

_Naerdiel?_

_Yes_? _Found out something interesting?_

_We're in deep trouble. _I send her some of my memories through the link. I sense her tension and worry.

_We are indeed. And what's more... there is another ship coming towards this planet. I'm certain it's a battleship. The shuttle's almost ready to go, I was working on making supplies before we took off._

_Goddess, what is this place? I feel like I was sent into the Twilight Zone or some alternate reality!_

_You know... I have to agree with you there. Some other universe when Earth is technologically more advanced but socially more... well. Never mind. Just... get out of there. Apparate here._

_I'm not too good on that, remember? Still haven't gotten it quite right._

_Great. _

_Besides..._

_What._

I think back on a tiny nun I saw while I was between the clothes. _She looked familiar. There was something different about her. She's too serious for her age._

_Those women are nuns, Anira! They're supposed to be like that, considering the ideas they drilled into them!_

_No. That one was only a child! She wasn't even ten years old! She had eyes like..._

_Like what?_

_I felt... recognition, on some level. Naerdiel... I... _feel_ we can't leave her there. _There is silence for a bit. Then, Naerdiel curses.

_The battleship. They're sending transport ships down to the planet._

_Why? You reckon they want to conquer the moon? There's only the convent here, right?_

_Unless they don't know that. And when they find out, what will they do?_

_Maybe... I don't know. They can't be from Earth. They have to be some other alien race. What if they are slavers or something?_

_I know we're powerful enough to make a stand, but you know our race has always been discreet ever since we destroyed the Goauld. And after that, defeated the Tragoons._

_Never liked them. It's nice that they avoid us like the plague. Especially considering the part they played in destroying our race, reducing us to this._

_Well... oh... fine. Okay, say that girl might be like us, or one of us. We take her off to where?_

_Well, some inhabited moon. We'll terraform it and then figure out what to do. We can't leave her here._

_I'm surprised you're not bitching me about Cassidy._

_Well..._

_You were going to pick on my brains and bring her with us, weren't you?_ Naerdiel sighs. I grin guiltily.

_Well..._

_Fine! I give. Bring the child and, if! I repeat, if Cassidy wants to, you can bring her with you._

_Yes sir! Over and out!_

I end the mind link and jump at a child's voice. When did I get so distracted?

"Hello." I freeze and turn my head. My jaw drops. It's the little girl I was just discussing with Naerdiel. "Call me Ellie." Goddess, those eyes look so... old.

"I know."

"Are you reading my mind?" I smile at her; she smiles back.

"Yes, you think so loud." she laughs. She suddenly turns serious and does the unexpected; opens her mouth to speak the musical, soft language of the Soul Wanders. "Long life to you and your loved ones. And may the Goddess be with you, always."

I beam at her, gently touching my mind to hers.

_I think we should stick to the mind link._ I tell her. _I'm Arina._

_We should move. The convent is being invaded by Kalquorians._

_Kalquorians?_

_Yes, not a very popular race with the Earth government. Their race is dying out and Earth females are compatible with them. From what I heard from the few Soul Wanders left on Earth, a lot of females were kidnapped as soon as they found it out. That started a war. Even if they don't know this is just a convent, they will soon realized this is full to the brim with women. They will take us as well if they find us and make us their Mataras._

_Mataras?_

_Childbearers._ She smirks. _From my sources on the planet of Plasius... they aren't treated like broodmares. More like princesses. A Matara wishes for nothing from her clan._

_Clan?_

_We must move. Now! Cassidy is coming._

I turn into a cat again and follow Ellie through the vents, into the darkness.

* * *

><p>I know, I know... I shouldn't have. I think I went too fast with this one, but I just had to. It flowed.<p>

Again, all credit from Twilight Universe goes to Missus Meyer, Soul Wanders are mine, and the rest is all Tracy St. John's Book 3 of the Clans of Kalquor Series. Loved the story behind it Miss St. John. Really, please don't sue me, it's just fanfiction :-D


	13. Chapter 13

All credit from Twilight Universe goes to Missus Meyer, Soul Wanders are mine, and the rest is all Tracy St. John's Book 3 of the Clans of Kalquor Series.

**Chapter 13**

_**Ellie, the little nun**_

"Jade." I whisper. "Jade, are you there?"

"Ellie?", Jade's childish voice comes out of the dark vents, breathy.

"Yes. Don't sound so frightened. We need to get to the chapel, come on."

"The chapel?", the little girl comes closer to me, visibly trembling. "We can't! We'll get caught!"

"Meow?", the little cat makes herself known to Jade, rubbing herself on her, sitting and gently raising her little paw to Jade's face, patting it.

"That's... a new friend I made."

_Ellie, the little girl is shivering, she's so warm... she has a lot of fever._, I hear Anira's voice in my head.

_I know. Punishment, for the sin of playing outside for too long. Penance for it._, as one of the more fanatical sisters determined. I feel Anira's indignation and I smile, feeling good for having someone else thinking like me and Virginia.

"Jade, we must get to the chapel! Virginia is there. We need to get there quickly."

"They're here already! I'm scared!"

I sigh and speak through the mind link. _Get behind her, turn into human and knock her out, please. We're losing time with all this talk._

Arina does just that and we move, albeit in a slower fashion, through the vents. Kalquorians are very close by and she waves her wand in a series of spells. She speaks through the link once more, as we leave the vents, closer to the chapel.

_I've cast a quick healing spell on Jade and a silencing spell on our feet. Just be quiet, 'kay? I'll make a Portkey when we get to the chapel, it activates on touch and after a certain time; I'll get an object that, when touched, will transport us out of here. We will be cloaked so your friend Virginia won't see us. You'll have to talk to her._

_It won't be a problem. She is one of us._

_Really? That's great!_

_Yes_, I answer, _but she is one of the Healers. She can't bend elements like us._

_Those are really rare! We can't use our healing abilities on others. I always envied that ability in Healers._

_I didn't. In this time frame, being different only causes trouble. Here we are._

The chapel again. The door is already closed and a big man is hunched over an unconscious Virginia, her white hair scattered like a flower's petals, her scarf in his hands, with a look of wonder and hope in his face. _Sorry_, I think, you can't take her. I look at Arina, who is taking a holy book from the altar to wordlessly make a Portkey, place myself beside her, with Jade levitating beside me. Arina nods at me and she whispers,

"Incarcerous!", thick ropes flow from her wand and tie the warrior soundly, making him fall to the ground.

I go to Virginia and gently touch her. She has been drugged, but her body must have nearly metabolized it; she is already waking, looking drowsy. I take her hand and make her hand, mine and Jade's touch the Portkey. I have no idea when this thing will work, but it can't be long now. I look at Arina, her back's on me and she is looking at the fallen warrior, frozen. He has a look of shock on his face. Oh, Goddess... please tell me it's not what I think!

"Arina. Arina!" she turns and looks at me. I uncloak myself and Jade. "We don't have time! What. Is. It?"

"He's... he's..." well, poo, if the look on her face doesn't say it all.

"Oh, not now! We _need _to go_!_" I desperately look at her and actually _whine_. "Please, Arina, we all had enough of this hell hole that some idiot decided to call a convent."

"I concur.", says Virginia, cheerfully. "Besides... you can always track him later can't you?"

"I don't really see how. And we should be focusing on something else... _leaving!",_ I answer her. At that final word, the warrior starts to get agitated and growling quite loudly, obviously calling the others.

"Oh... mates always find a way." Virginia smirks. "You should do something romantic, you know, like leaving a token of some sort." Two more men suddenly enter the room. The Portkey starts glowing, Arina looks at it, then at the men, gulps and takes something from her neck, snapping the chain, taps it with her wand and throws it at the Kalquorian male.

She quickly kneels to touch the Portkey, which chooses that moment to activate. We hear the fallen man roar but it's too late; we are spinning in a crazy tornado of color and let go of it when Arina tells us.

Our landing is a bit rough; it wakens Jade. Her shivering is worse, she's burning up.

"Hey." a sad-looking female looks at Arina. "Looks like you brought half of the convent. Who is she?" She looks at Jade.

"Jade." I answer her. "Are we ready to go, please? We'll be having company soon."

"I thought as much, come on." Arina levitates Jade and we follow the woman to the shuttle. For an outsider, it looks like a huge piece of black tree bark, perfect camouflage in space, but we know better. The door slides open and closes as we come in.

I settle Jade in one of the seats, securing her and then myself, beside her. By then everyone is already in place and we are already lifting off.

I can't help but smile at Jade! I'm leaving Europa and it's bloody convent behind! I just hope we can get past the Kalquorian ship.

"You needn't worry. We'll be too fast. Besides, there's a battle going on, apparently."

And so it is. A few battleships and their fighters are engaged in combat. We quickly get away; the shuttle is Soul Wander-made, organic. We must have slipped by their sensors.

Half an hour goes by in silence and in amazing speed. We hide behind one of Saturn's moons.

"Anira. I think introductions are in order.", says the woman.

* * *

><p><em><strong>NaerdielLana Brown**_

"Everyone, this is Naerdiel, known as Lana Brown, and I'm Anira. This is Jade. Full human, right?", says Anira, looking at the other child.

"What do you mean, full human? Who are you people?"

The other child gets out of the seat, introduces herself to me as Ellie, and holds Jade's hands.

"Jade. Do you remember all those times when we were playing outside, and you were caught and I wasn't?", she licks her lips.

"Do you remember how you'd sometimes injure yourself and I'd ease your hurt?", asks the white-haired woman. Jade nods. "And how we started to act strange, different, a few months ago? Some physical aspects of us changing? Like my hair?"

"And mine, as well. And our eyes? And how we fell down the stairs and lost our memories?" Jade nods at Ellie. "Jade. We're not really human. Our bodies are, but our souls aren't."

"What are you saying?"

"We are Sould Wanders, a different race from yours. Ellie here, is an elemental Soul Wander, she's good at manipulating Earth and Water." Jade takes a glass of water that I conjure with my wand. Ellie waves her hand in circles, fluid and elegantly and the water comes out of the glass, twirling around and around, finally returning the water into the glass. Virginia hands the glass to Arina and then Ellie speaks once again.

"And Virginia is a Soul Wander, but she is not an Elemental. She is a Healer." Virginia touches Jade's forehead, who gasps after a few seconds. "Can you feel it?"

Jade touches herself.

"Yes, I... I don't understand how this is possible? Why have you taken me? How can you do such things?"

"It is our nature, we can't help it.", I answer her.

"But... it's not normal."

"That's true. In your society, in your world, it's not." Arina says. "But... there are other Soul Wanders among Earthers. A lot of them."

"Actually..." Arina and I look at Ellie, "Not that many." we raise our eyebrows. "Earth government has changed a lot in the last centuries." I frown at this. Centuries? "We thought it was best to leave Earth, and settle on less morally and culturally repressed worlds, such as Plasius and distant unknown planets that we terraformed in the meantime."

I vaguely hear her explaining how many Soul Wanders who, upon waking up on a human body on Earth, would try to adapt at life on Earth for a time, take a long vacation or a short trip with some other valid pretext and then quietly vanish. Or simply disappear as soon as they occupied the body.

"Then... you possess people!", Jade yells. "You're... you're demons." That's it, I've had it with this girl.

"Shut up!" I yell. "We don't rob anyone of their life! We only occupy bodies of people who are dying, in the precise moment when they pass away into the afterlife, or of people who have died already. Not too much later, or it becomes... complicated. We are not demons." I sigh. "I'm sorry I yelled at you. It's just... it's the way we are. Please, try to understand. We don't take anything that still belongs to someone else. Ever. For instance... me." I smile bitterly. "My host, Lana Brown, was daughter to an alcoholic. He spanked her to death and left her there, on the kitchen's floor. His own flesh and blood. When she took her last breath, I took over. I took her things, shifted into my purer form and went elsewhere. I was lucky to find a job with an nice old man called John. He took me in, and in time, after I was certain I could trust him with the truth, which I'm glad I did, he made me his partner in his business."

"Really?", asks Jade. "I never heard of a woman who had a business of her own."

"Goddess...", mumbles Arina. "What kind of a backward planet is Earth in this alternate reality?"

"Arina...", says Ellie. "You told me... that after the crash you went through a portal and you got her. Right?"

"Right. Well. I, I screwed up, I know."

"Well... I think you traveled both in space _and _in time. Into the future."

Arina pales and starts cussing.

"Jade, dear, would you cover your ears and hum, please.", I ask her.

"What?"

"Hum. You know, hmm hmm hmmm hmmm!" she smiles tentatively and does just that.

"Okay. Arina, would you stop? You're giving me a headache." she goes on for a bit more and then shuts up. I signal Jade to stop humming, by winking and nodding at her. She grins. "Thank you. It's nice to see you smiling."

"It's nice to smile and not having any of the other sisters bothering me because of it." I smile gently at her. "You're nice."

"You can smile all you want with us. No one is going to bother you about it." I pause. "All right, everyone. I want to go back in time and space once more. I want to go back to the beginning of the twenty-first century, where and when I belong and..." I swallow hard, "join my mate. There is so much I... want to, need to... make amends, I..."

"It's okay." Arina touches me. "I'm coming with you."

"What about your mate?", asks Ellie. I raise my eyebrow. "Arina found her mate among the Kalquorians, just when we were leaving, right Virginia?"

"She even left a necklace for him." Virginia winks. "Very nice touch."

"Necklace? You mean... oh..." I laugh. "You left him the medieval hammered silver coin? The tracking one?"

"Several, actually." she blushes. "Apparently, I have three mates. I made a quick duplicating spell on it. Let's hope they understand it's for them."

"Oh, Kalquorian males are quite different from the human men." Virginia smirks. "You don't need to spell down everything to them."

"Great! Then it's settled! I'll go back in time with you, and then I'll get back here. I can find them for sure."

"Arina... I don't think..."

"I want to. I need to. Really, I'm fine, and there are things I have to do in the past. I know what went wrong with the portal. It's the intent. I wanted to... I was thinking of a dream, of finding my mates." she snorts. "So simple, really, it's almost insulting. No wonder I couldn't put up the proper portal."

"If you're so sure. Where does that leave the three of you?"

Ellie and Virginia silently communicate with each other.

"We'll go with you. We wish to see the Old Earth, as it was, before fanatics took over the power on the government." Virginia kneels in front of Jade. "Jade, honey. If you want to, you don't need to come with us. We can take you to Plasius and leave you there or to some world controlled by the Soul Wanders. You'll be safe. Kalquorians don't know we exist, and Tragoons fear us, although today they think we are more myth than reality."

_Naerdiel_, Arina tells me, sending the feeling behind the casting of the portal. _Now you know how to cast it properly. I will follow you. Everything's gonna be okay. I can't leave them like this. Little Jade needs more time to decide. We can't be selfish._ I nod.

"Jade." Arina speaks to her. "Listen, we don't have to go now. I can stay a bit longer. We can travel among the stars, it'll be fun. You don't need to go back in time right now. I know it's scary and you're so young! And if you want, you don't need to go at all."

"No." the little girl says. "It's just. Grown-ups always said people in those times were licentious and and..."

"Jade... I've lived a long time on Earth now and, sure, there were women who were complete sluts. But most girls I've known back then weren't like that at all. They had one partner at a time.", I tell her.

"But... they weren't married when they... when they...", she blushes. Oh, the things they put on her head! I'd strangle the idiots...

"I know. But that doesn't make them horrible. In fact, what is better? Marry some guy just to have sex and children and then find out the hard way you're not that perfect for each other? No matter where you go... nothing is ever perfect. You just need to try and see the good in things and make do the best way you can. Look. You're not going. You're staying on this... Plasius planet?" Ellie nods. "With someone trustworthy and then we'll travel from there, through space and time. You have until then to decide, if you stay there or if you go with us."

I turn my back on Jade and tell Ellie to take on the ships controls and off we go to Plasius.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Arina<strong>_

Plasius is like... oh, I don't think I've even seen anything like it. It is one of the most peaceful planets I've ever seen, they don't have police or military. They follow and live the philosophy "make love, not war" to the extreme. It's almost laughable, really!

After sending word of our arrival and settling us on a very comfortable, large suite in the palace, no less, Ellie took us to the ruler of Plasius, the Saucin. Her name is Israla, a beautiful woman, much older than she appears, and with an appetite for younger men and sex in general, like any good Plasian.

She took one good look at us, heard what Ellie had to say, smiled and said she would take Jade should she decide to stay.

"I think, Wanders, it is nice of you to give her a choice. In fact, I'm giving a party tonight. It will be an excellent opportunity for you to sample Plaisian wine... and Plaisian men, if you wish." said Saucin Israla. "In fact, Ellie, my dear, will you stay a child for how much longer? You are centuries old. It must tire you, pretending to be a child. You should be having fun as an adult!"

"My dear friend, you have known me for so long. But, I must stay this way and stay with Jade tonight. Virginia, Arina and Naerdiel can go to the cerimony. I'm tired and I'd like to get some rest."

"Saucin, with all due respect, if you know enough about Soul Wanders... you must know it's difficult to stay away from our mate. It's my case, and I wish to depart as soon as possible. I... I don't think I can hold out for much longer. I apologize."

"There is nothing to forgive! Oh, if only Earth women were more like you! But you, Virginia, Arina... I won't have you not going to the party. You will soon go back to the past and you simply must go to this party, mingle, make friends... and have some fun with Plasian men... or women if that's more to your tastes!" she grins naughtily. The two of us blush. "In fact... I had a most interesting visit from a Kalquorian clan while you were settling down on your quarters..." she sips some wine. "Fresh out of taking over Europa, searching for an unidentified shuttle who just happened to land here. It appears some poor nuns were kidnapped from the convent they invaded, and right under their noses too! They were most disappointed at the time, and it appears they tracked the shuttle till Plasius."

_Damn._, I think, looking at Virginia, who giggles.

"But I'm not worried about that at all; after all, it's not like they are going to find it, is it?" says the Saucin. "Oh, I almost forgot to tell you... you should wear a costume. I hope you have proper outfits, otherwise I can have someone find some for you."

"That's very kind of you, Saucin, but we can make our own. It will be fun, anyway, and a way to pass the time. Part of our gifts and all.", I smirk.

* * *

><p>Again, all credit from Twilight Universe goes to Missus Meyer, Soul Wanders are mine, and the rest is all Tracy St. John's Book 3 of the Clans of Kalquor Series.<p>

So pretty please tell me what you think. Lana is going home in the next chapter!


	14. Chapter 14

All credit from Twilight Universe goes to Missus Meyer, Soul Wanders are mine, and the rest is all Tracy St. John's Clans of Kalquor Series.

**Chapter 14**

_**Naerdiel/Lana Brown**_

As I come through the portal I land on my knees. I rollover and my heart fills with joy; my apartment! I was at my apartment; my plants, my living room, exactly how I left them, only, the plants were more grown. I suddenly hear the main door open and John comes in.

"Lana!" he comes to me and helps me get up. "Sweetie, what happened?" I look at myself; that's right, I didn't even change my clothes ever since the crash, they have some stains and tears on it. I didn't even care what Saucin Israla thought; I shrug to myself, she must understand that when a Wander yearns for her mate, it isn't easy on her...

"Accident. No time to explain." I take a deep breath. "I have to get to Paul."

"Honey... Paul... is not in his best shape right now."

"I know. I'm not in the best shape either. I have to go to his house."

"No, Lana, you don't have to..."

"What do you mean, I don't have to!", I raise my voice. "Of course I have to, I..."

"He means you don't have to because I'm here." I turn at his voice. I barely notice John's leaving. He looks horribly pale and thinner, his eyes rimmed with red.

"Paul..." my eyes fill with unshed tears.

"I'm so sorry." we laugh weakly, having spoken at the same time.

"I should never have left, my little wolf.", Goddess, I'm so nervous, shaking like a leaf.

"I never should have taken so long to come see you. I should have talked to you right after that day in the woods, at Jacob's house." A lonely tear slides down my right cheek, I sigh, relieved.

"Forgive me?", we laugh again.

"We're developing a bad habit.", I smile shyly and take his hand, pulling him over to the couch.

"There is so much I want to tell you!" I hug him. I'm not usually this touchy-feely, but I need to feel him close to me. "You won't believe it, but... Do you have time?"

"Yes. Sam's not expecting me."

"Don't you have patrols or something like that?"

"No.", his face is slightly grim.

"What is it?"

"I wasn't feeling like myself."

"You missed me; I missed you too. I was starting to feel really miserable without you, little wolf." he holds me tight against him. "Listen... there are things that we have to discuss with your pack, and Arwen, and Billy Black. We're going to have guests. Some of them might be... permanent."

"What sort of guests?"

"Female. One is a Soul Wander, the other is a human child, a traumatized one. Paul... they are from the future."

_**Isabella Swan**_

I've fallen in the habit of biting my nails. God, they look such a mess. But I worry. What if Victoria gets her hands on Charlie?

Fortunately he's on duty tonight. Jacob's driving the van towards our house, his arm around me. We're finally home; I nuzzle his neck and he smiles at me. I lightly kiss him on his lips and invite him in. He gives me _the_ smile, and my toes curl at the sight of it.

When we leave the truck, Jacob stops in his tracks, and I beside him.

_What's the matter Jake?_, I speak in his mind. Ever since we joined, I can do it. Unfortunately, it doesn't work the other way around.

"Vampire close by. Get in the car."

_No_.

"Arwen..."

_It's my house. And if it is Victoria, there will be nowhere to go to. We'll finish her, end this mess._

"Okay." he knows how stubborn I am. I check all my mental shields, just in case, and I take a deep breath. We get into the house, silent as a tomb. We try to act natural and, as I go into the living room and turn on the lights, I freeze.

_Jacob, it's in the living room. Who's that?_ He joins me and grimaces; speaking aloud.

"Well, if it isn't Alice Cullen.", he whispers.

"Bella!" she smiles radiantly at me and pauses, her youthful face suddenly frowning. "What's that God-awful wet dog smell?", yep, I'm in for it.

"Hey leech, long time no see. Should have been longer yet."

_Jacob, be nice. She hasn't done anything wrong. Yet._

"Bella!" she frowns. "Honestly. What _have _you been doing lately? Trying to get yourself killed?" I smile innocently.

"Oh, I'm afraid I don't know what you mean!" Jacob snorts. "Trouble has been chasing me around rather frequently, but..."

"Ha! That's rich..." she smiles, "Oh, but I am so happy to see you! Everybody misses you. Carlisle, Esme, Jasper..."

"How are they?"

"Well... life's the same."

"More like death...", mumbles Jacob.

_You're terrible._ He smirks and winks at me; Alice notices.

"Bella..."

"Sorry about Jacob."

"Can we have a little bit more privacy, Jacob?" he shrugs at Alice and gets up, going into the backyard. We speak a bit about the rest of the Cullens, yada yada, and then...

"What's wrong with you?" I stare at Alice and then I close my eyes, inhaling and exhaling a couple of times.

"Nothing's wrong Alice. You're worried because... I haven't asked about Edward, aren't you?" I smile. "All this time... I did as he asked. I lived my life instead of wasting it mopping around, moaning 'Edward, oh Edward, how I miss you'. You only live once, Alice. And then you die. Edward left me so suddenly, it was as if I meant nothing to him. And I most likely don't. Jacob mended my heart, Alice. If Edward had never left, I might never have..." I pause. "Jacob is the one for me. He's caring, dependable… safe."

"Safe? Bella, he's a werewolf! Immature, uncontrolled, uncontrollable... just being with him is dangerous. He could snap at any time and hurt you!"

"He loves me. And he never lost it with me, he never will. Besides..." I chuckle. "s'not as if Edward is any better. He's a vampire, remember?"

"Still... it's just..." I take her hand. "I don't think it's been easy on Edward either, you know. He disappears for months at a time. Off to God knows where."

"Why? Doing what?"

"Hunting." I know that voice. Oh... Goddess, no!

"Edward!" Alice jumps from the couch and hugs him in a death grip. Fortunately the guy's already dead, I smirk. I check my mental shields once more, they are, as always, in place. I keep my mind blank as well as my face. He looks at the carpet and the vicinity of my feet. I snort; he's got some nerve, feeling embarrassed, coming here.

"As you were saying..." I tell him, "hunting... what?" he clears his throat.

"Victoria and Laurent."

"Nice. You shouldn't concern yourself with Laurent, he's dead. Sam Uley's pack got him. Victoria's been showing up now and then, always eluding us."

"Us?", he asks.

"The pack, a close friend of mine and myself, of course." he frowns, already opening his mouth to criticize. I abruptly get up from the couch, squaring my shoulders. "In case you have forgotten, Mr. Cullen, _you_ left _me_ in the middle of the woods, off to who knows where, and you asked me to forget! You, everything! Well, guess what, I did! I moved on with my life, I don't love you, I probably never did, because what I felt for you was more obsession than love! And you have some nerve, abandoning the girl you said you _loved_, doing her wrong like that, now you just drop in and you expect me to listen to you?!" I take a deep breath.

"Bella... Please forgive me..."

"Shut up. Alice can stay. But you? Sod off!" I turn on my heels and stomp up the stairs to my bedroom, slamming the door shut.

-º-º-º-

_**Jacob**_

"Well, that was fun to watch." I smirk, looking at the leeches. My little Isabella sure showed them. "You don't need to worry about Isabella. She's safe with me, she's my imprint, my other half. You had your chance and you ruined it, anyway."

_Jacob, what are you doing?_

"Yes, Jacob, what are you doing? Whose voice is that, in your mind?", Eddie asks.

_Jacob? Why are you taking so long? Would you please come upstairs?_

Damn. Edward's eyes narrow, looking suspiciously at me.

"Leave. Now."

"Who speaks in your mind, Jacob Black?"

"None of your business. Stay away from my imprint or I will kill you, bloodsucker."

"We have a treaty that says you can't." I growl at him. Little bastard.

"Isabella doesn't want to see you anymore. Leave. That should be easy for you, since you're so good at it."

"What's going on here?" we turn to face Lana and Paul, hand in hand. "Where's Isa?"

"Upstairs." I answer her.

"So..." she says. "You must be the Cullens, Alice and Edward."

"And you are?", Alice asks.

"Lana Brown. I co-own Old Man's pub..."

"Oh, I know that one!" Alice beams at her, not letting Lana finish the sentence. "I heard of it."

"This is Paul Lahote. My imprint." she caresses his hand with her thumb, never loosing eye contact with the leeches. "I have the feeling you have extended your stay. I'd also appreciate it, Mr. Cullen, if you would stop trying to get past my mental shields; it won't work." I glare at her.

"What, Jake? Might as well say it; besides, I'd love to see him try harder and for Lana to make him land on his ass.", says Paul, smiling.

"What have you done to Bella?", sheesh, but the leech is insistent today!

"What are you still doing here?" my imprint's here again. I didn't even hear her coming down the stairs.

"Bella...", he says.

"Out."

"But..."

"I said... get out."

"Bella, please, let me explain..."

"Explain what?"

"I can't live without you, Bella. I love you." God, I want to strangle him.

"Is that why you hid all the photos under the bedroom's floorboard?"

"Yes... at least a part of me would always be close to you, Bella. Even though..."

"You make me sick.", she snarls at him. That's my girl! Take that, Cullen! "When you love someone you don't walk away! You abandoned me in the middle of the woods. Can you even imagine how _utterly_ _lost_ I felt? I wandered in those woods, all alone, for _hours!_" she takes a deep breath and turns to face Lana. "I'm going out. Jacob, I need some alone time." she holds my face in her hands and gives me a sweet little peck on the lips, quietly leaving.

I turn to look at the leech, but Cullen is gone already, the door closing behind him, no longer on sight.

.-.-.-.-.


End file.
